A Start of a New Beginning Part 1
by Ro-Cel
Summary: Story of Harry Potter and how life in Hogwarts and after the battle will change him for ever.


Celes Diggory stood beside Draco Malfoy wringing her hands together and looking at the large Hogwarts Express with worried eyes. Her long strawberry blonde hair was pulled back and secured with a pony tail holder and a green ribbon. She wore her pink framed glasses; she also donned the first year robes she and Draco had gotten fitted for only a week before.

Little did Celes know that Hogwarts was going to change her life, but then again it was suppose to, right? Celes turned as a red headed family came through the portal and sighed; the Weasley family was here, the whole ginger lot of them. Not that she minded them so much, but ever since she was young she had been told, even though they were pure bloods, they were not 'their kind of pure blood'. Whatever that meant. Celes looked back at Draco who was listening to something Lucius was telling him. She sighed again, she just wanted to get on the train and get away from her family for a while.

"Celes? Are you paying attention?" her mother's cold and biting voice asked.

"Of course Mother," Celes said snapping her attention back to her mother and Lucius.

"I don't know if you're even ready for this yet." Rose Snape said surveying her daughter.

"I'm ready for this Mother; I've been waiting for this since I was six years old." She said looking her mother squarely in the eyes.

"Fine, remember to get a look at him." She said and Lucius nodded. "Him" was Harry Potter, the boy who lived. She could care less about this boy but it was her mother's goal in life to be the best Death Eater she could be, even if Voldemort wasn't even alive, or technically. Celes really didn't know if he was, but she, like every witch and wizard in the wizarding world, knew the story of Harry Potter and his parents.

"Celes, stop zoning out." Draco hissed at her grabbing her hand and dragging her towards the train. Their trunks had been loaded by Dobby, the family's house elf.

"Draco, why do we have to be the little spies cant we just enjoy school?" she asked as he led her to a compartment with other people they were permitted to spend time with, Crabb, Goyle, and Pansy Parkenson.

"Draco, I haven't seen you since the silver and green ball last Christmas." Pansy said coming over, as she got closer he dropped Celes' hand. Celes gave Pansy a dirty look and sat down next to Goyle. The train began to move and Celes leaned her head back preparing for a long trip. She drifted off to sleep. Hours later she was awakened by Draco shaking her. He had a pleased look on his face. "What?" she asked rubbing her eyes and then righting her glasses.

"He's in the last compartment Celes, I'm going to go see him." Draco said and Celes straightened her back, which was screaming at her for sleeping in the odd position.

"Draco, no. Get a look at the bloke when we get to the school." Celes said she knew he meant Harry Potter.

"No Celes, I need to talk to him." He said, getting ready to leave their part of the train.

Celes shot up and followed him, or as best she could, Crabb and Goyle were in her way. She peaked around one of their shoulders. "Come on Draco; let's not do this whole bully thing, please." She said as they made their way to the back of the train.

"I'm not going to bully him, Celes, I'm just going to introduce myself. Maybe he will want to be our friend. Father would love that and you know your mother would." Draco said picking up his pace.

"I'm not having anything to do with this, I mean it Draco. I know how you think of him and you don't even know him yet." She said and Crabb snorted in laughter. She fixed him with an angry stare and he stopped his laughing.

"Fine Celes, go into that compartment and I'll come get you when I've finished." He said. Celes stopped and looked through the glass opening. There was one person in the compartment. She slid the door open and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Celes; I'm avoiding my friend making a fool of his own self." She said sitting down.

Roman McTaggert didn't look up when she heard the door to her compartment open. She sat quietly. Her legs were crossed, her arm rested on the armrest as her chin rested in her hand. Her long black hair was French braided and pooled into her lap. She wore black boots, black jeans, a black turtleneck, and a dark purple sweater.

"Hi I'm Celes; I'm avoiding my friend making a fool of his own self. May I sit with you?"

Roman waved a hand but continued to look out the window.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Roman." She answered.

"Roman? As in like a person from Rome?"

"Yes."

"You don't sound like you are from here, where are you from?"

Roman sighed, "New Mexico."

"New Mexico? Where is that?"

"In the United States," Roman answered.

"So you are an exchange student?"

"No, I chose this school."

"Really? Why? Aren't there other wizard schools where you're from?"

"I chose this school to get away from my father."

"Oh I see. I have been waiting to go to Hogwarts since I was six years old. I want to get away from my mother."

Roman finally looked over towards Celes. She was sitting opposite from her and was leaning back looking up at the compartment. "Do you have trouble at home?" She whispered.

Celes frowned and looked at Roman then gave a little gasped. Roman had what looked like a week old busted lip and a black eye that someone had tried to cover up with make-up but did a poor job of it. "A-are you okay?"

Roman turned away again. "Yes, I'm fine."

"You know I want to study to be a healer. I'm not really good, but I can try and…"

"I'm fine."

"What happened?"

"I ran into a pole."

"You ran into a pole?" Celes asked her in disbelief. "Where you walking around with your eyes close, too?"

"Yes." Roman hissed. "I have a bad habit of sleepwalking." She growled.

"O-oh! I thought… Well, it just looked like someone hit you."

"I know."

They sat for a moment in silence. Then a witch came by with a cart of goodies. "Any goodies from the trolley?" She asked.

Roman curiously looked over then shook her head. Celes bought a chocolate frog and a few other things.

"Where is your fool of a friend? Shouldn't he be back by now?"

Celes sighed, "I don't know. Hey what house do you want to be placed in? I hear they place us up in different houses. My friend and I want to go into Slytherin."

Roman frowned as she looked at Celes again. "What is Slytherin?"

Before Celes could answer the compartment door opened and a white - blond hair boy stood there scowling. "Come on Celes."

Celes frowned, "What happened, Draco?"

"Just move it!" he growled as he walked away.

Roman glared at Draco's tone as he had walked away.

"Well it was nice meeting you. Maybe we will be in the same house." She stuck out her hand to shake Roman's.

Roman looked at her hand and took a deep breath as she shook Celes's hand. With that one touch Roman knew everything that Celes had gone through in her life and every problem that bothered her. With her face not showing any emotion or sign of what she had just seen she turned back to the window. When the door finally closed she let out a heavy sigh and started to shake. She had the mark. It was the same mark her father had.

Thinking of her father she growled at herself. She was still pissed off about what he did to her. She had told him that she wanted to go to Hogwarts. But as smart as he was he knew exactly why she had wanted to go. He agreed to it on one condition, that during the summer months she was to report to him when she got to London and he would send her to train in different styles of fighting. Then a week before she was to go back to school she had to go back to New Mexico to show him what she had learned. And to seal the bond he made her make an Unbreakable bond. Of course naturally when she touched him she knew exactly why he made her do it, and showed her on purpose as the bond was being made so that she couldn't back out of it.

She was so furious that she lashed out at him and for that she got a couple of bruises on her body, a busted lip, and a black eye for it. She wanted him to pay for what he had done and she knew there was no way she could make him pay without the training, and he knew that.

"Don't forget our deal, Roman. Once your foot is off the train in London, there will be someone there to pick you up for your training."

"I know." She growled.

"Good, now get the hell out of my car."

Roman growled to herself again as her anger pulsed through her. Since she was so caught up in her own thoughts she didn't know that the train had stopped at their final destination until Celes opened the compartment door.

A wave of anger went through Celes and then quickly left her as Roman looked up at her. She frowned at her unexpected anger and then calmness.

"What is wrong?" Roman asked.

"Oh, uh, we have arrived. I just came to get you just in case you got lost or something."

"Oh," Roman looked surprisingly out the window and saw that it was dark. "How do we get our stuff to the school?"

"I'm not sure but I believe that someone will take them up to the school."

Roman nodded and stood up. Her long braid fell down her back past her butt. She stretched and yawned.

"Hey, where is your robe?"

"Uh, what robe?"

"The robes you bought for school, you need one."

Roman's honey colored eyes grew big, "We are suppose to wear those now? I packed them all at the bottom of my trunk."

"I have an extra robe." A girl from behind them told them. "When you get to your stuff just return it."

"Thanks." Roman told her as she took the robe.

"I'm Hermione Granger."

"Roman McTaggert." She told her as she shook her hand.

"I'm Celes Diggory."

"Roman are you okay? You look like…"

"I ran into a poll. I sleep walk."

"Oh, well we better get going and you might want the nurse to take a look at your eye."

Roman nodded.

Celes led the way following the rest of the students who followed whom she assumed was Hagrid, the Hogwarts Grounds keeper. She picked her way through the crowd and found Draco. He was leering at Harry Potter's back, Hermione jogged forward to meet with him and Celes rolled her eyes. Roman came to stand next to her shrugging on the last bit of the First Year robes.

"Ready?" she asked both Draco and Roman. Roman did not reply and Draco replied in his own way, by briefly grabbing her hand and squeezing it. When he dropped her hand she led the way down to the boats.

"Boats?" Draco sneered.

"Its tradition, Draco," Celes snapped as she crawled into the boat behind Roman.

"Tradition," Draco muttered getting in after Celes, Crabb and Goyle after that.

The boats began to move as if being pulled across the shimmering lake. Celes pulled her cloak closer around her as a chilly wind swept across the lake. As they got closer to the school Celes' mouth fell open. She'd heard about this school her whole life. She probably knew it by heart but she was still in shock of how big and amazing it was. It was all lit up in the night. It was like a beacon they were floating towards.

They came to the other side of the lake and she got out of the boat followed closely by the other people in her boat and followed the rest of the first years up the stairs that they were being led to.

Hagrid handed them off to Professor McGonagall and she turned to the lot of them.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." She began. "The start of term…" Celes stopped listening; she already knew all she needed to know. Before they would be allowed to sit down and eat they would be sorted into the four houses of Hogwarts, Slytherin, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. She herself anticipated being put into Slytherin. Draco walked up to the front of the group where Harry Potter stood and tried to get him to understand that the Weasleys were not their kind of people. Celes rolled her eyes and the doors to the great hall opened and her heart skipped a beat.

She followed everyone into the room and her mouth dropped open at the ceiling which was one of the first things you saw when walking into the Great Hall. They were led to the front of the Hall where a stool was set up with a hat placed on top of it. Celes knew what the hat was. Her stomach instantly filled with butterflies at the thought of being sorted. What was going to happen?

She was too busy to notice what was going on when her name was called by Professor McGonagall.

"Diggory, Celes" she said loudly a lot of people in the hall looked over at the Hufflepuff table where her brother was sitting. She ignored them and stepped boldly forward and sat down on the stool.

When the hat was placed upon her head she heard a little voice in her ear.

" _Awww, you could do great things as a Hufflepuff."_ It said making her cringe at the thought of being a Hufflepuff.

" _And you would make a good Slytherin as well, but I think you need separation from that lifestyle because deep inside of you, you are not like that."_ Then that thought was followed by the words Celes thought she would never hear. "Gryffindor!"

Her face must have been mirroring Draco's face as she stumbled towards Gryffindor table. How had this happen?

Roman watched Celes go over to the red and gold table. Everyone there cheered and welcomed her but her face looked pale and shocked. She didn't look happy. Draco Malfoy, her best friend, sat on the stool and before the hat touched his head it yelled, "Slytherin!" Draco looked smugly as he walked over to the green and silver table. He glared at Celes and she looked close to tears as she put her head down on her arms. Roman glared back at Draco. 'How could he glare at his friend like that? Obviously she didn't have a choice in the matter.'

A flaming red haired, freckled face, boy shook Roman. When she looked at him she smiled a genuine smile. He was cute and taller than her by a few inches. He gave a little blush as he smiled too. "Um, are you McTaggert, Roman? Professor McGonagall has called you 3 times."

Roman nodded and walked up to the stool. Her smile now gone as she wondered what group she was going to be in. She sat on the stool and the hat was placed upon her head.

" _Ah I see,"_ Said a voice. It was like someone was whispering in her ear but the voice was only heard in her mind. " _Hum you are a special one indeed, a very special one. Someone of different magic, but that doesn't matter here. Let's see, ah, yes, a very good mind. You would do well in Ravenclaw, but there is more to you. You would also do very well in Slytherin too."_

Roman glared and gave an audible growl at the name. The hall looked at her even more intently, all wondering why she made such a face and a sound.

The hat gave a little chuckle " _There is also justice in you that you live by and a lot of courage too. Gryffindor would suit you nicely. So will it be Ravenclaw or Gryffindor? I wonder."_

"Gryffindor!" the hat yelled.

Roman gave a polite smile to Professor McGonagall and walked over to the cheering table. As she passed by some of the people they all pat her on the back or shook her hand. She was assaulted with multiple images of different things. By the time she sat next to Celes She was a little pale and had a thin sheen of sweat on her skin.

"I guess we were meant to be friends." Celes whispered and smiled brightly at her.

Roman just nodded and tried to control her breathing and the images running through her head.

Celes frowned, "Are you okay? You look like you are about to pass out."

"I'm fine." She told her as she gave a weak smile.

"Hey, are you okay?" someone else asked. When Roman looked over she saw a twins looking at her as if they were about to pick her up and haul her out at any moment. They had the same flaming red hair like the boy that got her attention earlier. Matter of fact they could have been brothers.

"I'm fine, thank you." She smiled at them. "Just need something to drink."

"Well the feast will be starting soon." the other twin said. "Do you think you can hold out?"

Roman nodded and turned to Celes as she put her head on the cool table. After a moment Roman looked at Celes who was looking worried. "Why were you put here and not with your friend?" she asked.

Celes looked down and shrugged, "I don't know. We were supposed to be in the same house and keep an eye out on one of the new kids."

"Which new kid?"

Celes eyed Roman for a bit then nodded to Harry Potter, whom was making his way to their table.

Roman looked at Harry and then turned to Celes, "That is the stupidest plan if I ever heard one." She snapped.

Celes blinked at Roman in her sudden anger. "W-what do you mean?"

"Well you were supposed to be in freakin' Slytherin, right?"

"Yes."

"How in the _hell_ , were you going to watch him if he was in a different… uh… group?"

"You mean _house_?"

"Yeah, whatever," she said as she waved her hand dismissively. "How were you supposed to watch him? If you ask me you have the advantage over your stupid blond haired friend over there."

Celes's eyes lit up with understanding and as Harry Potter sat down Celes stood up and looked over at Draco. "HA! In your face Draco Malfoy! We have Harry!"

As she realized what she did she turned a pink color and quickly sat down. Roman clapped and smiled at her. Then the whole table roared with excitement, laughter, and applauses. "Now, how did that feel?"

Celes smiled. "It felt bloody damn good."

Roman smiled and turned back to the sorting. At one point there was a roar of laughter when a boy yelled out to a girl who just became a Ravenclaw, "That's what I'm talking about, stick it to the old man!"

Later Roman found out that the red headed kid that nudged her was Ron Weasley which was the littler brother of the twins after all. After the last person was sorted the headmaster, Dumbledore, gave a few announcements and then food magically appeared on the table. The first think Roman reached for was the jug of juice. She poured it into her cup and drank greedily of it and coughed as she tasted it was pumpkin flavored. Celes gently patted her back.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine," She wheezed and coughed again. "I wasn't expecting a pumpkin flavor and it went don't the wrong pipe."

Celes smiled, "You don't like pumpkin juice?"

"No."

"Well, there are other juices."

Roman shook her head, "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You still look pale."

"I'm fine!" she snapped. She closed her eyes and still saw memories of other people, and she ground her teeth. The first few months were going to be hard. This was something she had brought upon herself and had to deal with. "Look.

"Look, I'm Sorry for snapping at you." She whispered to Celes. "For the first few months I'll be a little annoyed but don't take anything to heart."

Celes nodded, "Okay, but if you tell me what's wrong maybe I could help."

Roman gave a humorless laugh, "No, there is no helping me. I have to do this on my own. Anyways, can you pass me the chicken?"

"Sure."

Roman ate a little bit of this and that but didn't finish her plate. Her stomach was already twisting into knots. From her side vision she kept watching Celes giving her worried glances. When everyone was done eating both dinner and dessert the tables were cleared and they were sent off to bed. Celes quickly took hold of Roman's hand as they started out of the main hall. She wanted to pull away but then she started to laugh. She noticed Celes tried to do what she could with the healing power she knew, which didn't have any affect. Celes turned to ask her what was funny but stopped when she saw Dumbledore smile at them.

"Ms. Diggory, will you meet me in my office tomorrow morning before your classes?" He asked her.

She nodded and then he turned to Roman.

"Ms. McTaggert, would please follow me?"

Roman nodded and slipped her hand out of Celes's hand. She quietly followed him to a statue, he said a word and it moved aside to allow them entrance. Once inside the circle office Dumbledore sat behind his desk and motioned for her to have a seat opposite of him. Roman rubbed her arms as she felt her skin crawl. It was part of the side effects of being touched by so many unknown people.

As she looked around she noticed that the paintings of old headmasters and headmistresses where either watching her or sleeping. It was weird to watch paintings move around on their own freewill.

"Roman McTaggert, you are the young lady that requested to come to our school. I'm pleased to meet you at last. I must say you really had me going for a while. In your letters you sounded wiser beyond your years."

"Thank you."

He smiled. "As I have said before I am honored to have such a gifted student come to our school, we don't get too many requests of foreign students wanting permission to come to our school. May I ask why you have chosen to come to our school and not your school? I am sure they would have taught you what you need to know more effectively than we can."

Roman sighed and then tried to control her anger as much as she could. "If it were up to my…" she trailed off as she tried to find a word for her father. A few of them came to mind but none of them would have been appropriate to say. "If it were up to my father I would not be in any type of school. He would have had tutors teaching me."

"A father's love for a daughter leads him to do anything to protect her." He said as he nodded. A sad emotion fell upon him. He didn't show it but Roman could feel it.

"With all due respect, Sir, my father hates me." She told him coolly. "So I chose a school farthest away from him.

"Oh, I don't think your father hates you…"

"He does, and I would really like very much to change this subject." She told him.

"Very well," He smiled again. "Since you are a student here and you have a unique type of magic I would ask that you would come to me if you have any questions or if you have any problems."

Roman nodded, "Yes, sir."

"There is another request I would like to ask you."

She raised an eyebrow, "Okay," She said as she let the word trail on to show that she wasn't sure if she wanted to agree with anything else.

He smiled and his eyes twinkled, "I was wondering if you would be willing to do me special favors. Would you be willing to touch people and report back on what you saw?"

Roman just looked at the man like she couldn't believe what he was asking her. Then she smiled and started to laugh. "You are asking me to spy for you? Oh this is priceless. Now why would you want me to spy on people for you?"

"Well, we have a new student here that is special. It is his first year here and I have a feeling that there might be some people out to get him."

Roman's eyebrow rose again, "Really? What did he do?"

"He lived."

She waited for him to elaborate on it but he didn't so she sighed. "Okay, fine. I will help you but only on a few conditions. 1.) I have to know what's going on. Don't even try to lie to me because one touch tells me everything. I don't want to go into the blind doing anything unless I know what is going on. 2.) You have to keep in mind I'm still a kid. There are other kids that are further along than I am but I'm still trying to learn and control my powers. So I ask you be tolerant of me and if I feel you are pushing me too much I will discontinue any help for you. 3.) I will not spy on my friends or anyone close to me. So don't ask me to."

Dumbledore smiled, "You, young lady, are wiser beyond your years. I couldn't agree more of what you just said."

"Well I know how it's going feels to be used and I refused to be used by anybody else."

He nodded, "I see, may I ask you something?"

Roman nodded, "Yes."

"If I were to suggest that you get your eye looked at by Madam Pomfrey, she is our school nurse, what would you say?"

"I will have to say I appreciate your concern but I am fine. I will take care of my eye myself. Are we done, because I would like to go to bed?"

Dumbledore stared at her for a moment as if he was trying to read her mind, then he smiled nodded his head, "Very well, I have someone waiting outside the hall waiting to take you to your house."

"Thank you."

"And, again, I would like to welcome you to Hogwarts."

She nodded and went down the stairs and emerged from behind the statue. When she was out in the hallway she took a deep breath and sighed as she closed her eyes.

"Ms. McTaggert?" asked a boy.

She opened her eyes with irritation and found a tall boy with flaming red hair, freckles, and glasses. "Yes?"

"I'm Percy Weasley. I will be taking you back to our house."

"You are a Weasley? My God, how many of you guys are there?" she asked as she followed him.

"There are seven of us." He told her stiffly.

"Seven?! Damn! Do all of you guys go here to this school?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but my two older brothers graduated. I'm the third eldest, and then it's my twin brothers, Fred and George, Ron, and my little sister, Ginny."

Roman stopped walking in her shock, "There are six of you boys and one girl? Oh, your poor mother," She said as she continued to follow Percy up the stairs.

"Please remember this is the most direct route to the tour." He told her even more stiffly.

"I bet you all drive your poor little sister crazy."

My sister is fine." He told her as he spun around to face her. "My family is none of your…"

"I wish I had siblings." She continued as if she hadn't heard him. "I wish I had six older brothers to boss me around and drive me crazy. They would all be over protective of me. Are you protective of your little sister?"

He looked at her a moment then started down the hall, "Yes, we are protective of her." They walked a little bit longer until they stood in front of a painting of a fat lady.

"Password?" she asked.

"Caput Draconis," Percy answered her. "You'll have to remember that. Tomorrow during breakfast you will get your class schedule."

"Thank you, Percy." She said as she walked into the com room of the tower. There were only a few people up talking but not very many.

"The girl's dormitories are up the stairs to the left. Welcome to Hogwarts."

Roman nodded and walked up the stairs. When she got to her room she saw she was going to be sharing a room with four other girls. One being Hermione Granger and the other being Celes Diggory. Roman quickly took off the robe Hermione leant her and gave it back to her, "Thank you for letting me borrow your robe. Mine are all packed at the bottom of my trunk."

"You are welcome and make sure you unpack them. We are going to be wearing them every day."

She nodded as she went to her trunk and kicked it open. She kicked of her shoes and threw them in and pulled out a few black robes, a clear jar of white cream, and a bag of herbs. When she was changed into the shorts and tank-top she crawled onto her bed. Celes crawled into the bed next to her and watched her. "You have a nightgown here." She told her as she pointed at it.

"I know."

Celes watched as Roman put some of the herbs into the jar and mixed it. "What is that?" she whispered?

"It's a vanishing cream."

"A vanishing cream, what does it do?"

Roman rubbed some of it around her black eye and the bruise started to go away. "It makes the bruises disappear. It doesn't necessary take away the soreness, but at least with this I don't have to have people asking me about things that don't involve them." She told her as she placed more of the cream on her arms and some on her legs.

"Roman, I know you don't like me asking questions, but how did you get all those bruises?"

When everything was covered up she pulled on the night gown and laid stiffly on the bed, "You are a smart girl, Celes. Use your head, how else would I have gotten them?"

"Oh," she whispered. Before Celes could ask any more questions Roman was passed out. Celes took the jar from Roman's hand and set it on the nightstand next to the bed."

"Do you think we should tell a teacher?" Hermione asked as she stood next to Celes. "She seems like a cold lonely person."

"I think she will be fine. She is with us now and it's not like she is going to be getting hit any time soon. Besides I think it's just going to take her some time to open up to us."

Hermione nodded her head as she pulled the covers over Roman. "Well, we should all go to bed. Classes are start tomorrow."

The rest of the girls nodded and climbed into their beds. Slowly one by one the girls all started to fall asleep, except for Celes. She sat in her bed feeling lonelier than she ever had. Slowly and quietly she slipped out of her bed and crawled into Roman's bed. She knew Roman didn't really like her very much but she had a strong pull to her. She curled next to Roman and closed her eyes. She knew when Roman would wake up there might me some words but she didn't care at the moment. Right now she felt as if everything just fell apart. She was placed as a Gryffindor instead of a Slytherin, Draco wouldn't talk to her or acknowledge her, and she felt as if everything she knew was falling apart. The only person that seemed to cheer her up, even for a moment was Roman. She made her realized that she was closer to Harry Potter than Draco will ever be. She smiled as she remembered shouting at Draco from across the room and Roman applauding her then the whole table applauding her too. Her smile faded a little as she looked at Roman; she was so pale and seemed sickly. She touched her hand again and tried to heal her with what little healing power she had and fell asleep.

It was hours later when Roman came awake covered in sweat, gasping, and wanting to run away. Words of what made her feel a strong obligation to do rang in her head. " _You have to get close to Harry Potter. You have to do it for the Dark Lord."_ And words of what felt like a stab in the back also mixed in with those words. " _I think you need separation from that lifestyle because deep inside yourself, you are not like that."_ Angry glares of Draco also shot at her.

Roman nearly jumped out of the bed as she felt like vomiting. As she finally was able to calm down a little she looked at her bed and noticed someone was in it. Thinking of what she saw she glared at her bed and knew Celes had crawled into her bed. Roman rolled her eyes as she growled. Celes stirred a little bit as if she was having a nightmare. In Roman's head she was satisfied that she was having a nightmare, it was what she deserved for sneaking into people's bed but on the other hand she didn't like seeing Celes in distress. With a sigh she used her empathy power and calmed Celes down as best as she could. When she was satisfied with her work she went down the stairs to the com room and sat in front of the dying fire. She rocked back and forth as she fought to keep from vomiting every time her stomach lurched.

She tried to think of other things besides her stomach so she thought of Celes. She is so annoying, but yet at the same time it was so hard to dislike her. She reminded Roman of a lost, lonely, homeless puppy you just wanted to take care of. Celes had a good heart but that mark still replayed in Roman's head. It was the same mark as her father, and nothing good came of that mark.

Finally losing the battle of keeping her stomach she launched to her knees and a trashcan was pushed in front of her just in time as she vomited. Warm hands pulled back her long hair so that it wouldn't fall into her sick. When she was done she slumped around the trashcan. A hand was pressed to her forehead and images flashed before her eyes. It was Fred Weasley that was taking care of her. Most of the memories were though his sight. Laughing and pulling pranks and being with his family filled her head. There was worry of money but quickly schemes to gain money was thought of and put into motion. Roman wanted to see more but the hand was pulled away and moments later a glass was pressed to her lips.

"Here, drink this and rinse out your mouth." He told her.

She sat up and drank slowly of the water. When she was done drinking she rinsed her mouth out and had lain back down on the ground. She slightly shook more out of nerves then out of being cold.

"You have a slight fever." He told her as he pressed a cool cloth to the back of her neck. "I knew you didn't look to well in the Great Hall." He told her. "When Percy came back I asked if you looked okay, but the git just shrugged."

Roman frowned as she looked up at him, "What is a git?"

He gave a little laugh, "You aren't from here, are you?"

"No, I'm from the United States."

"Ah, I see. Well a git is a, what you Yanks, call an idiot or a moron."

Roman laughed then regretted it because her stomach tightened.

"Maybe I should get Madam Pomfrey."

"No." She moaned.

"Why not?"

"It's just another side effect of being touched by too many people."

Fred frowned as he looked up to someone else.

"What do you mean?"

Roman looked over to the other voice and saw George. "What are you guys doing down here? I thought everyone was asleep?"

"She is avoiding the question." Fred told him. "Why would too many people touching you get you sick?"

Roman tried to get up but George knelt down beside her and she laid back down. She was too weak to move. "Well, it looks like you aren't going anywhere anytime soon. We would help you to your room but we can't."

"Can't or won't?" She asked.

They both smiled at the same time, "Well, I guess you would say the answer to that would be both."

Roman rolled her eyes and her stomach tightened again. She moaned as she tried to get up again but gave up and laid on the floor facing the fireplace.

"So, if I were to touch you, you would get sick?" asked Fred.

"I don't know." She answered. "How would someone get sick by getting touched by people? That is stupid."

George looked at Fred and they smiled their mischievous smile, "Okay, how about this?" George poked her arm as Fred poked her side.

Roman giggled as she jumped and then groaned as her stomach tightened again. "Stop, that tickles." She moaned and tried to hit their hands.

"Are you…"

"…sick yet?" They said completing each other's sentences.

"You two are the devil." She laughed again.

"Roman?" Celes's voice called out.

"Over here." Roman answered. "Satan's twins are tormenting me and they won't take me to my bed."

"What are you talking about?" Celes frowned, "Are you hallucinating?" She asked as she came around the couch and paused. "Oh,"

"I told you, Satan's twins are…" she trailed off as she did a half laugh half moan. "They won't take me to my room."

"Oh, stop poking her." She snapped at the twins as she kneeled by Roman, "Are you feeling okay?"

"I have a potion in my trunk that I need, but I can't get back to my room. I'm too tired and weak. And these devils won't help me up."

"Well that is because they aren't allowed in the girls dormitories."

"You know, it really hurts us that you call us Satan's twins. After all we did to help you." Fred and George said in a hurt voice.

Roman laughed then moaned loudly, "Stop trying to make her laugh." Celes said as she swatted at their hands. She then placed her hand on Roman's forehead. "You are kind of warm."

Roman braced herself as images of Celes's life flashed through her head. Her stomach tightened again but she managed to hold everything else. "S-stop touching me," She growled at Celes. "Can't you tell it's making me sicker than necessary?"

Celes pulled her hand away, "I-I'm sorry. I was just trying to help."

"Well don't," Roman curled into a ball. "Why do you think I'm down here? Every time you touch me or if you are near me I get worse."

"I-I'm sorry, I really was only trying to help."

"Um, Celes, maybe you should go get the Prefect of you girls." George told Celes.

She nodded and turned to go up the stairs, but Roman caught her ankle. "Don't," She told her. "It will get worse. I don't need new people around."

"But I can't touch you…"

Roman sighed at Celes's hurt voice, "What did I tell you earlier today? Don't take anything I say to heart."

"How could I not take what you said to heart?"

"I'm sorry." She growled as she slowly sat up. "I don't get out much so I have a bad habit of snapping at people for the first time." Roman lied.

Fred and George looked at each other and nodded. They helped Roman up to her feet, and followed Celes to the stairs. "Liar, liar, pants on fire," They both whispered into Roman's ear.

She glared at them and they glared back.

"Okay, Celes, you think you can help her up the rest of the stairs?" George asked.

She nodded, and Roman leaned on her shoulders.

"Oh, and Roman," Fred called out to her. "Our discussion isn't over. We _will_ be talking to you later."

Roman's right eye twitched as she glared at them. They just smiled and wished them good night. Once in their room Roman climbed into her bed.

"You, uh, you said that there was a potion you needed that was in your trunk. What does it look like?"

"When you open the trunk pull out a white glowing vile." She told her.

Celes opened Roman's trunk and it was like someone turned on a lamp that had multiple colors. She quickly took out a small vile of a white glowing liquid and closed the trunk. She looked around to make sure none of the other girls woke up then gave the vile to Roman. She drank it and fell back onto her bed. "What is that?"

Roman gave a little laugh as tears ran down the side of her face, "My mom, said it's called Happy Thoughts."

Celes gave a little gasp as she saw that Roman's skin gave off a little glow.

"Sorry for snapping at you. I shouldn't have said those things. It was wrong of me." She gave a little laugh, "How about when I get better, you can kick my ass for it."

Celes snorted as she walked over to her bed.

"Where are you going?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to my bed."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

Roman, sighed, "Come here. There is room enough for the both of us." She said as she pulled back the covers.

Celes, paused as she looked over to her.

"If you are worried that the glow is going to rub off on you I don't think it's possible. Of course I never had a sleep-over to test it out either. But I think I would be funny to wake up with both of us glowing." When Celes still didn't move Roman growled as she climbed out the bed and pulled Celes by the hand, "Oh, just come here, I won't bite your head off anymore." She said as climbed into bed, pulling her along. Images ran through her head but the effect wasn't as bad since she took her potion. If she was ever going to get over the touching thing she needed to work on it now. Classes started in the morning and she might as well get use to it now.

Celes laid stiffly in the bed next to her.

Roman used her empathy to relax her and soon they both were soundly asleep.

Celes awoke the next morning before Roman did, she was always a morning person. Rolling out of the narrow bed she went to the center of the room and grabbed her towel, robe, and toiletries bag. First day of classes she needed to clean her hair badly. She went off to the shower humming a bit. Yesterday was a bad day what with her being placed in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin but she was going to be alright and she was going to prove to Draco that it was all still going to work for them in the end.

When she returned to the dormitory Roman was still out. She walked over and shook her.

"Roman, you're going to have to get up. You don't want to be late for breakfast." Celes said. The girl moaned and rolled over.

"What time is it?" Roman asked.

"Half an hour before breakfast." Celes sang pulling on her Gryffindor vest, which had probably been left for her by a House Elf in the night.

"Still time to sleep." She mumbled rolling over.

"Don't you want to shower, and I thought maybe we could walk down together." Celes said a little quieter at the end.

That was the moment the girl named Hermione Granger decided to re-enter their dormitory.

"Good morning Hermione." Celes said grinning at the fuzzy haired girl.

"You're excited." She observed.

"I am, and a little nervous." She turned back to Roman who still lay motionless in her bed. "Come on Roman you have to get up, if you don't get up then you'll miss breakfast and not get your schedule then you won't know where to go and then you'll get lost and feel like you're behind…" Celes trailed off as she noticed Roman staring at her like she was crazy. "Heh-heh, sorry." She said pulling her hair around her front and braiding it in a plate braid she had already taken a straightened her hair and was just keeping it out of her way. She threw her braid behind her head and grabbed her bag. "Ready."

She and Roman made their way down to the Great Hall; ten minutes after breakfast had started. Celes didn't care at this point as long as they didn't miss it. She sat down at the Gryffindor table and searched the Slytherin table for Draco; there he sat in between Crabb and Goyle smirking at her house's table. She just needed to talk to him. She could probably work a way to corner him if she tried. She ate as the first year's schedules were passed out. She got up when it was time to go to her first class and headed towards Draco, she pushed through his brutes and grabbed Draco's arm.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a nasty voice making Celes flinch.

"We need to talk Draco." Celes said looking at the brute-guards pointedly.

"Go on without me boys, it appears as though I'll have to clarify things for Celes again." He said loudly then yanked his arm out of Celes' grasp only to grab her hand and drag her off to a small cubby in the corridor.

"Celes we can no longer be friends." He whispered, the pain of he was saying clear in his silver eyes.

"Oh…but its not like I've changed just because of my house." Celes said eyes filling with tears.

"Celes, you're a Gryffindor…I'm a Slytherin, everyone will talk." Draco said, he was still holding her hand.

"Draco, you're my best friend." Celes said trying to stop her tears.

"Celes…I know but…" he said sounding at a loss.

"Yes, I know I'm a Gryffindor now that makes me someone not to be desired to be around. Tell me this Draco Malfoy how well did you sleep last night?" she snapped angry. She didn't give him a chance to answer she turned on her heel and left him standing there a dumb struck look on his face.

Later that day she was still angry when she got into her Defense Against the Dark Arts class. She was zoning out also until she walked in and saw a clear opening to sit next to Draco. She sat down next to him and pulled out her book.

"Celes, what are you doing?" he hissed.

"I'm sitting here, I don't have a lot of friends in Gryffindor so I thought I'd sit next to you." She said masking her anger with over cheeriness.

"We can not be friends." He snapped trying to get up but the Professor came in. They both turned to the front and listened to Quirrell stumble through his introduction to the class and himself. Celes sighed halfway through the class and turned to Draco. He had assigned reading or them and she had read most of her Defense Against the Dark Arts book before she had even gotten on the train yesterday. She watched as Draco tried to pretend he was reading so she wouldn't talk to him.

"Dude, I think she wants to talk to you." She heard Roman say from two seats away. She was sitting with Hermione. Draco's head shot up and his lip curled at her. "Hey now no need to get mad at me I'm just saying."

"Draco, I don't know why this is making you so angry." Celes said.

"Because I can't be your friend anymore." He insisted yet again.

"Oh for Merlin's sake," she dropped her voice and leaned in closer to him. "Did you ever think that maybe just maybe it's a good thing I'm a Gryffindor? Do you know how close I am to Harry Potter now?"

His silver blue eyes widened, but only briefly before Quirrell dismissed them, he was gone before she could hear what he thought about that.

"Well poop." She said grabbing her bag.

"Give it up he's obviously not worth your time." Roman said joining her as well as Hermione did.

"Malfoy is spoiled anyways." Hermione chimed in.

"I grew up with him that's not something I can just walk away from he's my best friend." Celes said sighing as they joined the rest of the students. Roman squished down noticeably.

"You okay?" Celes asked concerned that maybe what had happened the night before was coming back.

"I'm fine." She snapped getting out in front of Hermione and herself.

"Jeez, she's not very nice." Hermione said.

"I think she has Social Anxiety." Celes said making Hermione look at her in surprise.

"How do you know what that is, we are eleven." She asked.

"You know what it is and you're eleven. And I know because when I was younger I used to sneak out of the Manor and go to the Muggle Library and read the books. Fascinating stuff that is." Celes said, she'd always had an odd obsession with Muggles. She wasn't crazy person who collected things about them but she was curious about how they lived without magic and how they lived at all. They were fascinating and forbidden to her. If her mother had ever found out that she was sneaking off to the Muggle Library growing up that would be it.

"I loved the library I went often growing up, you should see the one Hogwarts has its amazing." Hermione said her eyes starry. Celes smiled at the frizzy haired girl and they walked together till she caught sight of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley and ditched Celes for them. Celes was going to be okay.

 _I have to be, and I'm going to get Draco to be my friend again._ She said to herself walking into the classroom.

Roman was walking down the almost deserted hallway from the library. She had a research paper that was due in one of her classes so she decided to do it before starting her weekend. While she was add it she checked out a few books that looked to be useful on blocking out any extra emotions and memories from other people. While she was in the library she came across a book about turning oneself into an animal. Curiosity took the best of her so she also checked it out.

School was going nicely; the first few days of classes and being around people were a little harder than she thought it was going to be but she was finally getting the hang of it. There were a lot of students and the halls were always packed, but after the fourth day she started to calm down some. Having Celes by her side was reassuring too. Granted, Celes slept in her bed ever since the first night. Roman sighed as she thought about her new friend. Celes was still trying to patch things up with the Malfoy kid. He was acting like a total jerk. He acted like Celes betrayed him and it was all her fault she was sorted into Gryffindor. Roman growled as she thought about Draco. He needed some sense knocked into him, and preferable with a baseball bat.

Right then Roman bumped into Professor Quirrell. His stuff fell out his hands and dropped to the floor. Roman hissed at him as she glared down at him. There was something really wrong with him. Even though he seemed timid and weak there was an air of evilness around him, which made Roman want to lash out at him.

"E-e-e-excuse me, Ms. M-M-M-McTaggert," He shuddered. "I-I-I-I didn't s-s-see you."

Roman stepped on his hand and kicked a book out of his reach. "Maybe next time you shouldn't worry about what you are trying hide and start worrying about where you are going."

He gave a timid smile but an angry hiss came from the back of him. Roman just continued to walk away. Out of all her classes, _Defenses against the Dark Arts_ was the one she hated the most. And it was all because of Quirrell. She loved all her other classes, even potions. Snape was just a hard-ass but he had his reasons. Just as she turned the corner she spotted Snape walking down the hall towards her. His robe swished behind him very elegantly. She just stopped in his path watching him in awe.

"Don't you know it is rude to stare?" Snape sneered.

Roman smiled, "You don't intimidate me."

He glared at her as he noticed of the books she carried was advanced potions. "You will never survive my advanced class." He told her smugly. "It will eat you alive and spat you back out."

Roman only giggled as she looked up at him.

"What is so funny?" he hissed. Snape found it difficult to keep his dislike for her. A feeling of silliness fell upon him and it took everything he had to keep himself from smiling.

"I was thinking of your reactions if I were to say I was in love with you."

Snape's confusion and shock crossed his face. Roman just laughed as he sneered at her. "50 points from Gryffindor."

She only shrugged and stepped around him. "That isn't the first time you took points from my group and I'm sure it's not the last either." She started to walk away but paused, "Oh, by the way, Quirrell is down the hall."

"He is _Professor_ Quirrell to you." He corrected.

"He seemed to be in a hurry and hiding something." She said ignoring that Snape corrected her. "I don't know about you, but I feel an evil presents around him. I would keep a very close eye on him if I were you." With that said she walked away.

Yep life at Hogwarts was going to be very interesting. Life with Celes was already interesting. Roman had never seen or heard anyone so chipper and bubbly in the morning. It was an abomination and a sin at the same time! When shaking Roman didn't work anymore, Celes resulted to singing. Roman shuddered at the memory of all of it. Celes had a good singing voice, that wasn't the problem it was the fact that she was so chipper and she sang that it was a beautiful morning! One morning as Celes was singing Roman tried to slip off the bed and hide under it. However, Celes caught her by the ankle and dragged her to the showers. It was torture cause the whole time she was forced to get ready Celes just chatted and sang and chatted and sang!

Roman was so caught up in her own thoughts she almost didn't feel the victorious emotion of the Weasley twins sneaking up behind her. She casually looked behind her and saw them quietly trying to catch up to her. With a smile she packed her books in her book bag and then took off running.

"Hey! Come back here!" one of them yelled after her. All week they had been trying to catch her or corner her but she gave them the slip every time. There were very persistent, especially Fred Weasley. He became the closest to catching her. It was lucky for her that Celes was a morning person after all, or the twins would have caught her a long time ago. There were days she skipped lunch and dinner. That didn't go too well with Celes. She was upset with both the twins and Roman.

Roman shouted the password to the fat lady and jumped through the opening followed by the twins. When she got to her bedroom she laughed as she dropped her book bag to the floor. "YOU GUYS ARE TOO SLOW!" she shouted down the stairs.

"We will get you Roman McTaggert!" George yelled up to her.

"When we set our sights on something we ALWAYS get it!" Fred called up to her.

"Well, keep dreaming, because you'll never catch me." Roman smiled as she laid on her bed and tried to catch her breathing. Right as she finally caught her breath the door to her dorm swung open. She quickly grabbed a book and jumped on her bed. Raising the book over her head ready to throw it at the twins but Celes had walked in and paused. She raised her hands up in surrender, "What are you doing, Roman?"

"I thought you were the twins. I was going to throw the book and hit at least one."

Celes laughed, "Now I know why they are at the bottom of the stairs prowling back and forth.

"Roman, you coward, come down here and face us!" Fred called up the stairs.

"I'm not a coward, you jerk!" Roman yelled down the stairs.

"You are such a girl!"

"Well, duh! And I'm also faster than you guys too! How does it feel to be out smarted and out ran by a girl? I have beat you all week and if I have to, I'll do it all year too!" she heard scuffling and angry whispers coming from the bottom of the stairs. She nodded and smiled to herself. She didn't want to admit it but she was really enjoying the cat n' mouse game with them.

Celes giggled, "You thrive on competition don't you?"

"What do you mean?" she asked as she frowned and closed the door.

"You really enjoy being competitive."

"I do?"

"Yes, every time I've seen you run from the twins and you won, you've always taunted them. How do you not notice that?"

"Well, I was never raised around other kids so this is my first time interacting with other people." Roman changed into jeans and a t-shirt.

Celes nodded as she changed. "Can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Why are you cold towards me sometimes? I mean we are getting along now and I can understand why you are cold during the morning, clearly you aren't a morning person, but there are times you just snap at me."

Roman stopped dressing as she looked at Celes and quickly went with that came to her "It's because you have that mark." She told her as she turned away and finished dressing. Celes blinked and looked down at her ribbon wrapped arm where it hid her Dark mark. "My Dark Mark." she whispered pain filled her voice at even the thought. "It wasn't my choice to have this."

Roman shrugged, "I don't know what it's called all I know is that nothing good ever comes from it. You seem like a good person but at the same time I'm waiting for you to do something. It usually happens like that... well in my experience of it." she sat on her bed as she looked at Celes. "What do you mean it wasn't your choice to have it?"

Celes sat down on her bed eyes misting. "My mother is one of he-who-must-not-be-named supporters. I was born after he had fallen but that didn't matter to her. Before I was born I was chosen to be his heirs mate. I've never had much of choice about my life until now. But when I was three my Mum had me take the Mark. My uncle was not pleased but couldn't stop her because she's my mother. I hate it. I hate everything this damn things stands for and I have every intention of getting away from it when I turn 17." she said her eyes full of tears.

Roman didn't know how to react to this. What she was saying was really the truth. She could feel it from her. But it sounded like they were almost in the same boat. Or they were in the same boat but going down different paths. "Who is He-who-must-not-be-named?" she asked

Celes looked around to make sure no one was in there, that's all she needed was everyone freaking out because she said His name. "Voldemort." she whispered. The name didn't scare as it did most witches and wizards but she had grown up in a house full of lies. And shed also grown up hearing her mother call him that not 'You know who' or 'He-who-not-must-be-named'.

Roman's eyes shot up in surprise at the way Celes reacted and said his name. She wasn't scared but she didn't want anyone to know she said it. "What kind of name is Voldemort? And who in the hell is Voldemort?" she asked in her normal voice not caring who was around.

"Shhh, a lot of people don't like to say it! Its like taboo." she said laughing in spite of the seriousness of the situation. "He was one of the worse dark wizards ever to live. But when he tried to kill Harry Potter, it didn't work and he ended up falling himself. Many people believe he's still out there. My mother says he is but not much more than that. But Harry Potter he's kind of a big deal, he's a hero...he was barely born when he brought down the Dark Lord though." she said her voice was normal and she almost sounded like a fangirl, she wrinkled her nose at the thought. Harry Potter was not who she should be thinking about what with her at odds with Draco at the moment.

Roman nodded, "So let me get this straight, your mom supports this Voldemort guy, she made you get the mark, and I imagine since you are so bent on becoming Draco's friend again, his family supports him too. And you two were support to watch Harry Potter and report to you parents. However, you were suppose to do this while in Slytherin... I take back what I thought about Draco, he is no longer a jerk, he is now an asshole. Who comes up with plans like this? Slytherins aren't known for their smarts are they?"

Celes gave a sheepish grin. "Draco doesn't have a lot of control over his own life either. He does what he does because he is afraid of his parents as much as I'm afraid of my mother. He's... I know I shouldn't defend him he's done nothing but be mean to me since I got into Gryffindor but he's my best friend and I love him. I want to save him from what our parents are doing to us." she said voice filled with passion.

She rolled her eyes, "Fine, do what you want. I don't care." She slipped off her bed and opened her trunk and pulled out a pau. As she wrapped it around her hips she turned to Celes. "You are loyal and I like that about you, but if you try to hurt me I'll torment you like you have never been tormented before." she told her with a growl. "I already have one person I want to give hell and that is my father. All my life he did nothing but beat my mother and because she wouldn't leave him, he killed her. I will never forgive him for that. He has the same mark as you. My goal here is to get away from him and become strong enough to repay the favor he gave my mom. And I don't need you to try and backstab me when I have yet to finish my business with him."

Celes sat in shock for a couple minutes of her harsh words. "I...you've been the only person to give me the time of day since we got here. Even on the train you were kind enough to talk to me even when you didn't have to. I'm not that kind of person I never have been. Ever since I was old enough to understand what my mom was like I decided id never be like that. My mother is a backstabbing bitch who cares for no one but herself and her own agenda. She's the reason I don't have a relationship with my father. And I will never, I mean never hurt you Roman." Celes said standing with a determined look on her face.

Roman nodded as she placed her hands on her hips. "Okay. We have an understanding." she sighed and looked around. She flexed her hands a couple of times. "Well, I guess we can kind of start over. I'm Roman McTaggert, my father is abusive and I hate his guts. He sheltered me all my life so I don't know a lot of things. I'm very book smart, and it takes me time to warm up to people. Nice to meet you."

Celes smiled. "Hi I'm Celes Diggory, my mother is a whore and a liar. I have a happy disposition in spite of it and I don't like to give up on my friends." she stood for a minute. "Oh and I have a Dark Mark..." she grabbed one of Roman's many paus and secured around her own waist.

"Hey! That's mine! Go get your own!" she protested.

Celes laughed and skipped away before Roman could take the pau. "You got to catch me first!"

"Oh, its like that, eh? You are so going down." Roman chased her around the room and finally tackled her onto one of the bed. When she was on top of her she looked down at her and wiggled her fingers. "Be prepared for the pain." She told her as she started to tickle her. Celes squealed and tried to push her off.

"I give! I give!" she screamed.

Roman laughed and climbed off her, "Oh, you can wear it. I have many others." She pulled on her shoes and sighed. "They are the one things I was able to take before my father got rid of my mother's stuff. I've kept them all this time. The nanny that my father hired to take care of me taught me how to wear them and how to dance with them. When I dance I feel like I'm close to her. Sometimes I feel like she is right next to me doing the same thing." She smiled as she laid back onto the bed. She looked at Celes and smiled, "She was really nice and caring. She had really long hair too. She was Hawaiian my father is Native. Anyways tomorrow is the weekend so I don't have to get up early. So no singing or waking me up." She told Celes as she shook her.

Celes smiled, "Okay, I will let you sleep in."

"Good."

"Hey Roman," George called up the stairs.

Roman opened the door, "What?"

"Will you _please_ come down and talk to us? We just want to ask a few questions." He asked her nicely.

"No, I don't want to answer any questions."

"Stubborn!" Fred nearly yelled. "I told you she was stubborn and pig headed!"

Before Celes could warn her that it could be a trick Roman growled and ran down the stairs. With hands on her hips, she stopped 5 stairs away from the glared at them "I am not pig headed! I have right and I exercise those right when I feel fit. Now apologize to me."

Fred crossed his arms and looked away. "Make me."

"You are a jerk and an ass!"

He whipped around and cleared at her, "No, I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you…" Roman trailed off as Fred jumped up 3 stairs. She quickly turned and tried to run up the stairs, but the stairs disappeared and she slid down to the bottom with Fred on top of her.

"Gottcha!" He called out victoriously.

George quickly tied and gagged her with a spell. "Now that is true teamwork." They hi-five each other and then smiled down at her. Roman tried to say something but it came out like a growl and she glared up at them. "Whatever she is trying to say, I'm sure it's not nice."

"You think so, George?" Fred asked. "She does have a sharp tongue."

"Yeah that is true. Poor Celes had been victim of it before."

"Yeah, he looks mean as a snake right now."

Roman growled again.

"Yes, yes, princess," Fred said with a smile, "I'm sure you want to skin us alive."

"Believe us, we heard that one from out mum all the time." George smiled.

"Well, lets go." Fred lifted Roman over his shoulder.

"Hey! Where are you taking her?" Celes asked indignantly.

"Just to interview her." Fred and George said in unison.

Celes bit her bottom lip, "Well, have her back before supper time. I don't want her missing any more meals. She already looks a little pale."

Roman's eyes grew wide as she heard Celes's words.

"Its for your own good, Ro. You need to interact with more people. It will do you good. I promise."

Roman growled something and tried to fight against Fred's hold.

"Don't worry about little Ro-Ro here." Fred said as he adjusted her. "She we will take good care of her."

"Fred, that is a good name for her, Ro-Ro."

Roman growled again.

"You think so, George? I kind of like it too. Well, lets go."

After leaving the tower and going down a couple of halls they finally made it to a room. It was a small room but it had comfortable chairs and a few candles lit. They set her down and smiled at her.

"Well the moment of truth, George. What do you think her secret is? I made sure I didn't touch her so she should be that sick."

"I don't know, maybe she has this weird disease that makes her act weird." George answered.

"Well let's find out." Fred untied her and Roman kicked them both in the shins.

"You cheating, ass sniffing, annoying, nosey, jerks!" she yelled at them. "That was cheating and you know it!"

"Well if you weren't such a coward we wouldn't have had to use trickery." Fred said as he rubbed his shins.

"Coward? Coward?! I'm not a coward, you are! You had to resort to trickery just to catch me and you kidnapped me! No, you guys are the cowards! And stop touching me!" she told them as she pulled away. She smiled some of their memories passed by her. "You two are bad! Did you really put a dung bomb under your aunt's seat during Christmas?"

Fred and George stopped smiling and looked at each other and then back to her, "How did you know we did that?" George asked.

Roman stopped smiling and looked away. "Lucky guess."

"Yeah right, only our family knows that. We have been watching you, you don't really interact with anyone except for Celes…"

"…So there is no way you could know that unless Ron told you, but you haven't talked to him since the sorting."

"I don't know what you are talking about, I sat with him in a couple of classes and we talked."

"No you didn't. We talked to Ron..."

"…He says you only speak about class work."

"Why are you guys spying on me!" she growled.

"Because it's our jobs…"

"… To keep an eye on…"

"… Things or people…"

"…That interests us…"

"Wow." Roman said in amazement. "Do you two always talk like that?"

"You are changing the subject." They said in unison.

"Wow, you guys do talk like that. That is so awesome! I wish I had a twin to do that with. Then I would have an extra me and you wouldn't be able to catch us and keep your nose out of other people's business!"

They smiled, "That would only make us even more interested in you. Twins that get sick when people touch them."

"I don't get sick." Roman protested. "I only get… overwhelmed." She told them grudgingly.

"Overwhelmed with what?" Fred asked.

"With other people's memories and emotions."

George frowned, "What do you mean you get overwhelmed with people's memories and emotions?"

Roman sighed. She couldn't believe she was actually going to tell them about her secret. Celes didn't know about her and she didn't want anyone to know either. She had to learn to be around people and block out their emotions and control herself. She didn't want to be like what her father wanted her to be. She didn't want to be sensitive to it. But she was already sensitive to it and it was driving her crazy. And every time she thought how he made her depended on him it pissed her off even more. She clenched her jaw as she looked down at her feet. Celes was right she did need to be interacting with more people and the people in her group were going to be like her family. If she couldn't trust them whom could she trust? " _Wasn't this part of my plan? Get away from my father and have friends she could call family, if I can't do this then what was the point of trying to leave?"_ she took a deep breath and looked up at the twins.

"If I tell you, you guys can't breath this to another soul. If you do I will torture you and I will erase your memories of me. I know that is a tough spell but you have no idea what I'm capable of." She growled at them.

The nodded as they kept their attention on her.

"My powers are different from anyone's here. By one touch I can see everything you ever done, everything from what you did today all the way when you were born. You may not think you remember when you were born but you do. I also can pick up on people's emotions. That is how I was able to know when you guys were around."

"CHEATER!" Fred yelled. "I knew there was something about you. There is no way you should have been able to get away from us that easy."

George rubbed his twin's arm, "You really had him messed up all week."

Roman smiled, "I know. I felt it. I actually enjoyed doing that to him. A little hit to your ego is good now and then."

"That is so wrong!"

She laughed, "It did you good. Now you know there is someone better than you."

"Oh really?" Fred challenged. "I would like to let you know, we are the best and well known around here."

"Ha! You are only well known because of the small tricks you do. I can do way better than you."

"Oh really? Show us." George challenged.

"Fine, follow me." They left the room and walked down a couple of halls. It was then they ran into Filch.

"Weasley twins, I know you two are up to something." He sneered at them.

"We aren't doing anything except walking." Fred told him.

"Is there a rule against walking in a hall?" George asked him.

"For you two, is there is and who are you?" He hissed at Roman.

Roman smiled, "I'm Roman McTaggert."

"If you are hanging with them I know you are up to no good too."

She gave him a hurt look and gently touched his hand, "I would never be up to no good, I plan on being one of the best students here." She told him innocently.

Filch blinked a couple of times and smiled at her, "You are really cute. You should run along and get away from troublemakers like the Weasley twins. They will ruin your reputation."

"Oh, I'm sure they aren't that bad. Maybe you are overreacting just a little bit." She said sweetly.

He thought about it and gave a little nod, "Maybe I am over reacting." He picked up Mrs. Norris and petted her a couple of times. "Come on Mrs. Norris, lets make you some fish." And he walked away.

"How did you do that?" Fred and George asked in unison.

Roman held up a finger, "Hush, Snape is coming this way." She told them. She knelt down and quickly untied her shoe. When she looked up Snape just turned the corner into their hall. As he walked towards them he slowed down and eyed them suspiciously.

"What are you up?" he asked them.

"Going to our tower." She answered, "My shoe lace came undone. Where are you going, Processor?" she asked.

"That is none of your business." He sneered.

As Roman finished tying her shoe she stood up and stumbled onto Snape. "Sorry, I lost my balance."

Snape frowned as he tried to figure out his emotions. He was on his way to do something but he had forgotten. He was confused but he didn't know why. "30 points to Gryffindor." He said and he walked away.

When he was out of sight Fred and George looked at Roman with wide eyes, "How the bloody hell did you do that? Snape never gives points to Gryffindor house…" George said.

"… And Filch would never say he was overreacting about us."

"I can use emotions to against people. Whatever I want them to feel they will feel. Depending on how they feel they will react accordingly. Of course I haven't learned to do it without touching them yet. I'm sure if I keep practicing I'll be able to do so without touching them. However, since I touched them I know most of their memories." She told them. She wiped sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. "Depending how bad the memories are also effects me too." She sighed as she leaned against the wall.

"What did you see with Filch and Snape's memories?" Fred asked.

Roman shook her head, "I am not going to tell you. I will not betray their privacy like that. If they haven't told you then its no place to tell you either."

Fred and George nodded, "We can respect that." They said.

"I need to…" She trailed off as she tried to catch her breath. "I need something to drink and eat."

"Come on, we should go to dinner." George said as helped her.

"Yeah, Celes gave us a good tongue lashing the last time you missed lunch and supper." Fred said as he helped her on the other side.

Celes looked up when the twins and Roman came into the Great Hall they were on either side of her she looked pale and worn out. Celes got up and stalked over to them.

"What did you do to her?" she snapped trying to get in and take Roman from them.

"We didn't do anything," George started.

"She just needs to eat." Fred finished.

She glared at them as she led Roman away from them to the table.

"Celes they really didn't do anything I'm just hungry." She said as Celes helped her sit.

"Oh I'm sure." Celes said sitting and filling a plate for Roman, then after she had finished she went back to her own food. She and Roman didn't talk much they just sat there and ate.

Celes looked over at Harry Potter who was sitting with Ron, he was a good looking guy, and she was eleven though. She sighed and put another piece of beef in her mouth. Why couldn't she get through to Draco? They were best friends she should be able to do as much. She knew him better than anyone. Then it dawned on her. _You know him better than anyone…_

She wouldn't get a chance to corner him until later, but she knew his habits and knew he wasn't sleeping well at night without her by his side. That would have to be her ticket back in. She looked over at Roman who was watching her with a worried look on her face.

"What?" she asked the chip halfway to her mouth.

"You're planning something." She remarked; she was looking better, less pale.

"Just think I figured out a way to get Draco to get over this whole Gryffindor thing." Celes said popping the chip into her mouth.

"Gryffindor thing? It's not a disease." Roman said giving Celes a screwed up look.

"I know, but I also know him well enough to know that that's how he kind of sees it. Look I know you don't care for him but I do. If you had a friend I didn't approve of I wouldn't try to stop it cause I'm your friend and I figure I trust you enough to let you make your own choices. And to top it all off I won't let him hurt you ever." Celes said knowing Romans fears.

Roman still gave her a weary look but nodded and sighed. "Well I'm here if you need to talk, okay?" she said going back to her own food.

Celes smiled at her and got up; she headed for the Slytherin table, and stopped right behind Draco, clearing her throat. When he turned he wore one of his trade mark sneers.

"What do you want?" he asked with a chilly voice.

"Look you can be as mean and cold as you want to me, but just talk to me alone for ten minutes." Celes said arms crossed over her chest.

He evaluated her with his Silver blue eyes and she watched them closely and smiled when she saw his wall drop.

"Fine ten minutes Celes that it." He said getting up. Crabbe and Goyle grunted and Celes scoffed at them and led Draco away.

"What is it you want?" he asked after they reached a vacant corridor.

"How have you been sleeping Draco?" she asked.

"If you think this is how you're going to sway me back to being your friend you're sorely mistaken." He said avoiding her question.

"I've been sleeping okay since my roommate allowed me to sleep in her bed with her, it's hard to sleep by yourself when you grew up with someone right there next to you your whole life you know?" she said pushing forward with her plan.

"Yeah I do." He said begrudgingly. He looked away. "Come on Cel, what are you doing?" he asked softly.

"Trying to make you understand you need me, Dragon." She whispered back tears filling her eyes. He looked back at her when she used his nickname; the only people ever allowed to use that nickname were his father and Celes and sometimes his Godfather.

"Why though? I mean…" he trailed off looking away again. "Celes you're my best friend."

Celes' heart leapt, it was working, and whatever she was doing was working.

"And you're mine Draco!" she said turning his head back to look at her. They stood at even height so she was looking directly into his eyes.

"I'm sorry Celes." He said sighing.

She shrugged, "Meh, it's alright I guess I can forgive you." She said then hugged him. He rarely hugged but when he did it was usually with her or his father.

"We are so going to turn heads." He said as they headed back to the Great Hall.

"Who cares?" Celes said happily.

Later that day Celes made her way to the library to study with Hermione for a bit, when she walked in though there was a Ravenclaw sitting at the table with her already. Celes walked over to the table pulling her mass of hair up in a ponytail as she sat down next to Hermione. She smiled at the girl across from her.

"Hi, I'm Celes Diggory." She said, when she really got a look at the girl she had a whoosh of déjà vu hit. "Do I know you?"

Normally anything with "mancy" in its title kept Miranda's attention captive, especially when she was hiding away in her favorite getaway - the library. But the presence of someone else at her table caused her eyes to glances up, and lingers rather than settle back on the pages. A girl with long, blond hair, and a strangely familiar expression was staring back at her, and talking to her.

"Hi," she said, smiling a little and extending her hand. "Miranda Knight... you're Draco Malfoy's friend, aren't you?"

Celes took Miranda's hand and nodded her head. "Yeah we grew up together, he is my best friend. How do you know him?" she asked tilting her head to the side not really suspicions but curious.

Miranda shook her hand, looking deep in thought as she studied the girl before her, then, as though a light-bulb lit up in her mind's eye, she brightens. "Oh! I know - you and I must have had some play dates when we were younger. My father used to take me over to Malfoy manor to play with the 'elite' crowd." She resisted the temptation to roll her eyes, a smile perking up the corners of her lips.

"Oh is that what we are? Ha that's funny I'm the farthest thing from elite. But yes I remember you. Draco used to pull your hair!" Celes giggled. "You know I used to give him a right hard time about you, I think he fancied you." Celes said winking.

Miranda couldn't resist a loud 'HAH!', earning her surprised looks from the few other students in the study area, and the stern glare from Madam Pince. She quieted down, muffling her laughter. "Me? Oh, whatever. He probably was just upset that I hit back when he pulled on my hair," she answered, shaking her head. "And what of you two, you were always inseparable when I saw you two in the same room."

Celes snorted at the thought of her and Draco being more than just friends. "We are just friends, regardless of what our mothers want." Celes said her lips quirked. Hermione was diligently ignoring them. Leave it the Granger to try to study while people were talking.

Miranda glanced over at Hermione, then back at Celes. "Is she always this diligent? Even I can't study that hard and not have mush for a brain..." she whispers under her breath, wearing a sympathetic look.

Hermione looked up at them. "I like to read." she said going back to her homework and Celes smiled at her friend, she guessed that's what Hermione was.

"So your dad's got a bit of a thing for the pure blood-ness, huh?" Celes asked, opening the book in front of her and flipping through it glancing at pictures.

Miranda had a mixed expression on her face and shrugged. "Both her and my mum came from pureblood families. And my dad... well, he had three boys before me to carry on the family name. I think he just worries about pairing me off with the right son of the right pureblood family." She waved his hand dismissively. It was of no real concern to her. She was only eleven, after all. "Boys are just friends, not potential husbands." She rolled her eyes.

"I feel the same about boys, well about Draco anyways. My mum and his want us to wed one day and carry on the Malfoy name but I can't see him like that. And beside I'm eleven the idea of even kissing a boy is just icky." Celes said shivering. She noticed Hermione's lips twitch into a smile.

Miranda laughed quietly again, slipping her quill into the page of her book and closing it, resting her arms on the table and leaning in to lower her voice. "Let me guess. Draco's your best friend?"

"Yeah I know more about him than, well anyone." Celes said leaning in a grin on her face.

Miranda's grin grew. "Sounds like me and my best friend. He's a boy too... Blaise Zabini," she said proudly, a warm smile on her face. "He and I are just like this." She held up two fingers, crossing them tightly, "been that way since we were two and three."

"At least someone gets where I'm coming from." Celes said sitting back. "I adore Draco, as a matter of fact just got the git to realize that maybe it's not a bad thing I'm in Gryffindor instead of Slytherin." her expression going sour.

Miranda wrinkled her nose sitting back. "Oh boy, don't get me started on the whole house thing. My dad nearly had a heart attack when he found out I was sorted into Ravenclaw," she says with a solemn look, though there was a smirk flickering in her eyes. "He, my mum, and all my brothers were Slytherin, so I was... well, a bit of cast out, as they say." She smiles wryly, and then shrugs again. "But really, what's the difference between us all except for a couple of colors?"

"And personalities for some, have you met Crabb and Goyle?" Celes snorted.

"Oh God," Miranda giggled. "Were they dropped on their heads when they were children?"

"I sometimes wonder if they were. Draco's been palling around with them since I got sorted into Gryffindor... well since before actually." Celes said recalling the train.

Miranda grimaced. "Why?" she asks with a tone of surprise. "He definitely doesn't need them to make him look smarter..."

"Who knows, he's odd sometimes." Celes gave a little laugh with a shrug. She wasn't getting any studying done at all. "I really need to crack a book." she said and the forgotten Hermione snorted at them.

"Yeah, me too," Miranda says as well, flipping her book back open to its page and exchanging a smile with Celes. "You know, it's too bad Ravenclaws and Gryffindors don't have classes together. It would make studying that much more fun."

Celes went back to her work feeling happy about the whole thing; maybe she had another friend out of this.

Roman turned in her bed and sighed as she felt the sunlight fall on her face. She slowly stretched then quickly sat up as reality hit her. No one was in her dorm and today they had classes. "Shit!" she growled as she jumped out the bed and quickly dressed for class. She looked at the time and slowed down a little. The first class was gonna be out any minute. As she left the tower with her book bag she went to the girl's restroom and waited as Mrs. Norris passed by. "Stupid cat is patrolling the halls. God I don't like cats." When the bell rang Roman Slipped out the restroom and went to her next class. When she entered she spotted Celes sitting next to Draco and chatting away. She glared at him and then took a deep breath. She walked over to Celes, pulled her chair away from the desk and sat on her lap. "She is mine. Go get someone else to be your friend." She growled at Draco as she held Celes close.

Celes looked at Roman in shock but didn't get a chance to say anything because Draco did. "She's not yours, she's my best friend!" he said standing to loom over them.

"You forfeited that right when you turned a cold shoulder at her when she was sorted into Gryffindor. Who do you think she was sleeping with for the whole week? Yeah it was me, and let me tell you, I utterly enjoyed it."

He sputtered for a moment trying to devise an answer. "I was in a state of shock! And she was my friend first!"

"Hey, I'm not a trophy!" Celes said slightly offended.

"State of shock or not, you don't leave a friend out in the cold!" Roman yelled. "A friend is there to help and comfort at all times. If I was your friend I would never forgive you! You would rather worry about your image than be a true friend! She stood up and was now nose to nose to with him. "Celes may forgive what you did but I will not. From now on we are enemies and let me warn you Draco Malfoy, I am the wrong one to cross." She looked down at Celes. "I'm sorry if I offended you, but I seemed to have _awakened_ on the wrong side of the bed." With that said she grabbed her stuff and sat between Ron and Harry. "Hi, guys. I'm Roman McTaggert."

"Hey, I'm not done and you can't yell at Celes. She forgave me because that's who she is and it sounds like you're angrier at her than me!" he said as he followed her ignoring Celes pulling on his arm.

Roman stood up and wrapped her arms around him. "This conversation is over Draco." She whispered into his ear as she instilled fear into him. "Turn around and sit or something bad may happen to you tonight." She let go of his shaking body and sat down. She took a shaken breath and tried to calm herself down. She was shaking with anger and the lack of strength. "I-I-I'm going to go to…" she trailed off as she became dizzy. "I'm going to lay my head down for awhile."

Later that day Celes was still very upset at what Roman had said and did to Draco, didn't she know that Draco was Celes' best friend? She stormed into the Gryffindor Common room looking for Roman, she spotted her by the fire and stocked up to her.

"What the hell is your problem with Draco?" she raged. Roman looked up calmly.

"He treated you like crap for the first months of school and now you've just forgiven him like nothing has happened at all." Roman said to her in an annoying controlled way.

"That's what friends do, they forgive no matter what!" she said still angry.

"I know that, but Draco is the type of person…" she trailed off at a loss.

"No, why do you… Merlin's beard Roman!" she yelled and stocked off. She stepped out of the portrait hole and continued to walk quickly with her anger. She wasn't really watching where she was going because next thing she knew she was running into a solid person. She looked up and blinked, she was face to face with her older brother. She'd only ever seen him in pictures, he looked like their father, or at least he favored him. Celes gave a small smile muttered 'Sorry' and walked around him.

"No wait, you're Celes right?" he asked coming up to keep pace with her. She slowed slightly surprised that he was even interested in knowing her.

"Yes, and you're Cedric. Good to meet you." She said continuing on. He grabbed her shoulder to stop her and she turned to him.

"You know regardless of how Dad feels about you, I'd like to know you." He said smiling at her. She tipped her head and gave him a skeptical look.

"I'm Amos's dirty little secret you probably only knew about me as the child he refuses to accept." Celes said sounding a little angrier than she had intended.

"You're mad, but I don't think it's at him today is it." He stopped and looked around a group of Hufflepuffs had gathered to watch the two. "What? It's not a show guys. Go back to the common room I want to talk to my sister."

Celes felt instant tears come to her eyes as he said that about her, he wanted to be her brother. She thought he'd spend the remainder of his time here avoiding her. He grabbed her hand and led her away from the group of gawkers.

"Why do you want to know me? Don't you know who I am?" she asked at a loss to say anything else.

He didn't respond right away he just kept leading her up to a tower she had only seen from the outside of Hogwarts, The Astronomy Tower. Cedric turned and smiled.

"I know, you're my sister and my dad has tried to keep you a secret from me since you were born. My mum well… she stays but I think only because my dad and she are pure and that's how it should be. I want to know you, you're my family and I want to know my family… and it helps that it kind of spites my dad in the process… but that's just a bonus not why." Cedric said sitting down on a narrow bench in front of a telescope.

"Oh." Celes said walked timidly over to sit next to him. "This place is nice."

"I come here when I don't want to deal with being… well I don't know if you've heard but people in Hufflepuff, they call me the 'Golden boy' it's a lot to live up to. I kind of don't like it but that's what it's like when you're brought up by Amos Diggory." He said.

Celes' eyes widened in surprise, Cedric didn't care for his father? That didn't sound like the boy her mother had told her about.

"My mother says that you're his pride and joy and that's why he doesn't like me." Celes said looking down. "She said your father fell in love with her and when she got pregnant he felt ashamed of what he had done."

"My father, when he talks about it says that she used a love potion on her, I think that's part of the reason my Mum stays. I know your Mum was all you ever had but I think she is lying." He said earnestly looking into her eyes.

Celes knew her eyes were darkening. "That is actually not that superseding, she lies a lot. My uncle hates it but can't do much other than make up for the lack of well… love I guess she has for me." She said looking away.

"She doesn't love you?" he asked.

"I don't know honestly, most of the time I'm just a tool in her stupid games. I'm expected to marry Draco when school finishes for us, all a part of her master plan." Celes said rolling her eyes.

"I'm sorry that your mum doesn't love you. Your life must really…" he trailed off.

"Some days it really does stink, but then something like this happens. You actually want to know me. I thought you were just like our father and wanted nothing to do with me ever and here we are talking." Celes said a smile growing on her face.

"I'm glad I could make your life a little brighter." He said grasping her shoulder.

"Thanks Cedric." She said smiling up at him.

"So why were you so upset?" he asked.

"I'm just having an argument with a friend of mine. She doesn't like Draco." She sighed.

"I don't think a lot of people like Draco." He said.

"I know, but he's my best friend. I grew up with him and well when I got sorted into Gryffindor he kind of freaked out a little and acted like he didn't know me or didn't want to anymore." She said. "I forgave him, but Roman, that's my friend, she thinks that he's going to just do it again."

"Do you think he will?" Cedric asked her.

"No, I don't. But I think the best of him always. I know him well enough to know that about him. He's just shocked and confused." She said, "He's not the only one. I got a letter from my mother the other day during the mail drop. I didn't say anything to Roman though she didn't need to hear my sob story… not that you do." She said looking up suddenly embarrassed.

"It's okay, what did she say?" he asked, he was so nice. Nothing like she had pictured he would be. He actually wanted to take the time to know her.

"I have the letter here." She said pulling it out of the pocket of her robes. She unfolded it; it was already falling apart from reading it so much. She handed it to Cedric, and he looked at her then began to read out loud.

 _Celes,_

 _I was incredibly surprised to hear from my brother that you had in fact been placed in Gryffindor. How could you have gotten placed there, you are a Snape, regardless of your father, you belong in Slytherin. I believe this is a way for Dumbledore to try to gain some control over you. Do not listen to that old man, he knows nothing of us._

 _I am even more disappointed to find that you did not fight it. Insist on being placed in Slytherin to that hat. I know that old rag can choose and I also remember from my days at Hogwarts that it all depended on what you were thinking. Were you thinking heroic thoughts? Are you thinking of defying me? You know that you will not win daughter. Stop defying me, stop fighting me. It is no use._

 _I'm not going to have to tell you that I see an advantage to this situation. I'm sure you have already seen it. Severus has told me that you are in the same house as Harry Potter. Get to know the boy, woo him if you must just get to know him. Use this unfortunate series of events to your advantage. I mean it Celes. Do as I tell you or you will pay on the break._

 _Write me your progress,_

 _Your Mother._

When he finished he looked up at Celes and handed the letter back to her. Her eyes were full of tears.

"She's terrible Celes." He said softly.

"I know." Celes whispered.

"Aw, now," He said hugging her tightly. She barely knew him and he was already doing a brotherly thing. "You should tell your friend what's going on? She may be more understanding." He said smiling at her as they pulled apart.

"You're probably right." She said standing with a sigh. "I should go talk to her."

"Don't be afraid to talk to me whenever. I'm here." He said she nodded and left him alone in the tower.

When she returned to Gryffindor tower Roman was still in front of the fire reading. Celes took a deep breath and walked over.

"Roman… I'm sorry I yelled." She said softly.

"Yeah well…" she trailed off. "I was late for class because early bird Celes wasn't there to wake me up."

"I… I'm sorry." She said a little surprised that Roman had come to rely on her so much.

"Yeah well if you don't mind, I have to ask someone else we bunk with if they will wake me up." Roman snapped coldly standing.

"I can still get you up in the mornings!" Celes exclaimed; everyone stopped to watch them. Celes didn't care.

"Oh because you can just do everything in the mornings cant you. Early bird gets the worm, right?" Roman asked throwing her arms up.

"Early bird… what? Look I don't get your American sayings but yes I can. I can be here to get you up! It's not like I'm always going to be with Draco. You're my friend too!" she exclaimed.

"Never would have guessed." She said as she rolled her eyes. "Look fine, you want to wake me up still, fine do it, Wonder Woman!" she said storming off into the dormitory. Celes sat with a heavy sigh; she pulled out her letter from her mum again. She'd tell Roman later, when they weren't fighting so much. She loitered in the Common Room until it was almost completely empty then shuffled up to bed. She crawled into her bed after bathing. Snapping the curtains shut and silently cried herself to sleep.

All she kept thinking was tomorrow things would be okay again. They had to be.

The next day Roman woke up before Celes and got ready. She sat on her bed brushing her hair when she was done she went to Celes's bed and shook her awake. Celes looked surprised at Roman. "Get up and get ready for class." She told her.

She looked at her and opened her mouth to say something but then closed it and then opened it and then closed like she was a fish.

"Look, I may be mad at you but _I'm_ not going to leave you behind. Now hurry up and get ready."

Celes opened her mouth to say something but closed it and then nodded and hurried up and got ready. They headed down to the Great Hall without saying a word. Just as they sat down to eat she spotted Draco entering. She waved and went to get up to sit next to him but then thought about it and looked down at her plate. She wanted to talk to Roman but she also wanted to be with Draco. She wished there was a way for them to get along but with how things were now she didn't want chance it.

"Celes, I am not holding you prisoner, if you want to go eat with him then go. Don't make me out to be the bad guy by forcing yourself to stay here." Roman said.

"Roman, I'm not going anywhere until we work this out."

"Celes, just go. You did your job. You can go."

Celes stiffened, "No, we didn't work it out so I can't go." Roman went to say something else but the food popped up and Celes quickly grabbed her plate, "Oh look, breakfast is already here, see; now I can't go."

"Fine, do what you want." Roman said as she rolled her eyes. She went to grab something but Celes grabbed her plate and started to fill it.

"Hey, that's mine! Get your own plate."

"I know it's yours. But you need to eat. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

"Well, duh, what do you think I was going to do? Sit here and not eat?"

"Oh, just stop complaining and eat."

Roman crossed her arms and tried not to smile. If there was one thing about Celes, she was persistent. "Fine,"

Fred, George, and Lee scooted closer to her, "So what is going on between you two?" Fred and George whispered in unison.

"Nothing." She hissed.

Lee shook his head, "It doesn't seem like nothing."

"Well it is." She said as she started eating.

"Well, if it's nothing then why are you two angry?" George asked.

"Because."

"Because, isn't an answer." Fred told her.

"It is when I say it."

"Sure it is." They told her.

"Anyways, our Quidditch game is coming up soon." Fred told her.

Roman frowned, "What is Quidditch?"

They all three drop their forks and looked at her with shock and horror.

"What did I say?" she asked as she looked at them.

"You don't _know_ what Quidditch is?" Fred asked her.

"Did you live under a rock?" George asked her.

"No," she frowned. "I was not born under a rock and no I don't know what Quidditch, which is why I asked, duh!"

They all looked at each other, "But how could you know about Quidditch, there is an American team." Lee told her.

Roman turned red with embarrassment, "Well, I have been really sheltered."

"You don't have a radio at home?" Lee asked her in shock.

"Uh, no, we have a record player. Look, you guys, my father is an ass hole and he kept me sheltered. He believed in education. I was homeschooled all my life, I listened to classical music, and I read books for entertainment. After he killed my mother he basically locked me up. The only reason I know anything now is because I had tutors come and teach me. So if I seem to ask a question that seems shocking it's because of that."

"You poor thing!" Fred said as he wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her head in soothing way. "It's okay, Uncle George, Uncle Lee and I will teach you how to live."

George took her from Fred's hold and then hugged her tight, "We will teach you everything we know."

Lee climbed over the table and also held her, "We are going to start with the Quidditch match. You will commentate with me."

"Okay…" Roman said as she tried to pull away but they all just hugged her in a big group hug.

"Jordon, please remove your bottom from the table and sit down." Professor McGonagall told them sternly. "And please stop smothering Miss McTaggert."

"But, Professor McGonagall she has been sheltered…" Fred said.

"…She doesn't know anything about Quidditch…" George said.

"…And she lived under a rock." Lee finished.

"Now, gentlemen, it's not surprising that she doesn't know. Many students don't know about Quidditch. Mr. Potter didn't know about wizards until he got his letter. Now Release Miss McTaggert and finish your breakfast."

They all grudgingly let go of her and she took a deep breath. "Thanks Professor. "I swear they tried to smother me to death."

"Yes, yes, now eat your breakfast." With that said she walked away with a swish of her robe.

Roman sighed as George threw something at Ron, "Oy, Ron, you won't mind if we borrow your rat, do you? Thanks."

"Yes I do mind! What do you need him for?"

"Just some testing," Fred answered. "He will be fine."

"I don't believe you. You can't have Scabbers."

"Why do you have a rat as a pet? Don't you know that they have carry thousands of diseases and that they are dirty?" Roman told him.

"Scabbers aren't dirty." Ron told her. "I have had him for years and I'm never sick and no one around me has ever gotten sick."

She eyed the rat and there was just something about it she didn't trust. "If I were you I would not become too attached to it."

"But he is my pet."

Roman shrugged, "I was just trying to give some advice, that is all." She pushed around some of the eggs on her plate. She ate her toast and most of her eggs before the tables were cleared. For the rest of the day Roman ignored Celes as best as she could. No matter where she went Celes was right next to her. When it came to Defense against the Dark Art class Roman hesitated to enter. Celes entered the class but Roman hung back hanging outside the classroom.

Fred walked up behind her and poked her sides causing Roman to jump, "What are you doing?" he asked her.

"You know that will be the only way you will get me to jump, other than that I know when you are coming."

He smiled, "I would take that challenge but I know you would win because I know you can cheat."

"I do not cheat."

"Yes you do."

"Oh, whatever," she said as she waved her hand dismissively.

"So what are you doing here? Aren't you suppose to be in class?" he asked as he looked inside the room.

"Yeah, but I don't really like the teacher."

"You don't like Professor Quirrell."

"So, you are thinking about skipping class, aren't you?" Fred said as he smiled widely. "Well it is a good think I came along because that is George's and I specialty. Matter of fact I'm on my way to go meet him and Lee. Would you like to tag along?"

Roman looked inside the class one last time then quickly nodded. She followed Fred through a couple of corridors and up a few staircases. When the bell rang they ducked into an empty room and waited a few minutes. When Roman gave the ok they walked left the room and made their way to where George and Lee were waiting for them in an empty room.

"Galleon for your thoughts," Lee asked as she sat next to him with a heavy sigh and bit into an apple.

Roman looked over to him and shrugged.

"Come on, tell me what is ailing you?" he said as he nudged her.

"Celes and I got into an argument and I'm still mad at her."

"What was it about?"

"Stupid Draco, God I wish I could just kick his ass and be done with it. But I can't do that or Celes will get angry. Because they have been friends since they were little?" she said in a mocking voice.

Lee laughed, "Ah, so you two were the ones that had the tower uneasy the other night."

"Yeah." She paused as she looked into space. "I mean he ditched her after the sorting all month long and she had been trying to get him back. But the whole time she was like this little pest just nagging and nagging and nagging at me to give her attention and to open up to her and when I do she shuts me out right after she patches things with Draco! I mean if you are going to do something for someone all month long and then stop abruptly don't you think you need to let them know?"

Lee gave her a lost look, "I would think so."

"I mean she wakes up early in the morning, wakes me up all month long and then one morning she isn't there to wake me up. I missed my first class and see her in second class chatting happily away with Draco like nothing was out of order. Then she had the nerve to be upset with me for yelling at Draco. I think I have the right to be more upset with her then she does with me."

"You yelled at Draco?"

"Yes, that bastard had the nerve to act like her friend and act like he didn't do anything wrong. Who abandons their friends when they are the most confused and lost? Oh I know, Draco Malfoy. And she had the nerve to forgive him! Oh and when I tell her that I need to find someone to bunk with she gets upset like I'm giving her job away. Can you believe that? So now she thinks she can be Wonder Woman and sleep over in Draco's bed, which I know is somewhere in a dungeon and then run _all_ the way up to this tower and wake me up."

"So who are you more upset at, Draco or Celes?"

"Both! He is a snake that has his coils wrapped around her and she thinks she is The Early Bird that gets Worm. No, make that Wonder Woman. "

Lee finished his apple and crossed his arms over his chest. "I think you are more hurt than upset. You are hurt that she patched things up with him and forgot you. You came to rely on her and she wasn't there to wake up. And you would have been okay if she did try to wake you but didn't succeed, that she didn't come in at all because she was with Draco and going to class with him really hurt you. So, you attacked him. Of course it didn't help that you already didn't like him to begin with. Furthermore, by observing that you are fighting to keep those unshed tears in your eyes, you are a proud and strong girl so, instead of telling Celes how you really feel you took out all your hurt on Draco making it look like it was his fault."

Roman wiped at her eyes. What he was saying was all making sense and she didn't like it. "Shut up. You are only here to listen."

He laughed wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "You are sensitive and it's cute. You remind me of a feisty kitten that wants to be a tiger."

She laughed as she hit him and leaned into him, "Now you are making fun of me."

Lee pretended to be hurt as he held a hand to his chest, "I would never do such a thing."

"Lire."

He smiled, "Just a little, but I usually like to tell it like it is. So, what did we learn today?"

"That you like to pick on people just like the twins." She told him.

"Not about me, about you."

"That I need to be more careful of where I sit and who I'm talk to," She answered.

"Now, you are picking on me." He frowned.

"I would never do such a thing." She said the same way he had just said moments ago.

"And you stole my lines!"

She laughed then sighed, "I know. I know. I have to talk to Celes and tell her how I feel."

"Good, now get off me before the twins tell Angelina Johnson we were snuggled up together and she becomes jealous. I can't have that."

Roman laughed as she sat up, "You were the one that was comforting me."

"Hey is it true that you can see people's past by one touch or feel what they are feeling?"

She gasped as she looked over to Fred and George. Fred had an annoyed look and George was setting things up. "You told Lee? I thought we agreed you wouldn't tell anyone."

"Well Lee is always with us." Fred said as he turned around to help his twin with something. "Besides, we needed help figuring out how to help you."

"I actually find it fascinating." Lee said as he eyed her. The emotion he was giving off was cautious mixed with curiosity and fear. "So just one touch you know my past?"

"Yep."

"And you can feel what I'm feeling and control it too, but George was telling me that you needed to touch people to do that. Why can't you just do it without touching people?"

"I can naturally already feel what you are feeling but in order to manipulate it I have to touch you. The reason is because I'm not strong enough yet. I have tried to work with it while I was at home but that didn't last very long because that asshole knew what I was doing and blocked me somehow. Of course I tried to practice on the other but since they are strong than I was it was no use. So being here I really have my work cut out for me."

"Okay I have to test this myself, touch me." Lee told her as he rolled up her sleeve.

Roman laughed as she touched the tips of his fingers.

He laughed, "Are you scared to touch me?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes and then laced her fingers with his. "Lee Jordan," she smiled as she went through his memories of his family and his life with the twin. "What do you want to know?" she asked him.

"Find my secret." He challenged as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs.

She smiled and leaned into him until they were nose to nose. "Lee, it's a shame that you are like this. I think you would have made some girl really happy." She whispered.

He slightly stiffened, "What do you mean?"

"You bat for the other team, sweetie." She kept her voice really low cause she could feel Fred and George's curiosity rising.

Lee frowned, "What does that mean?"

"You like boys and not girls." She whispered in his ear.

He quickly pulled away as his emotions went crazy. He was scared, worried, and really on edge, but at the same time he was also amazed.

Roman growled as his emotions filled her strongly. "Stop it!" she snapped at him. She wanted to pull away but she wasn't done to demonstrating her powers. She made him calm down, almost to the point of sleep. He yawned and she pulled away. When she broke contact he became alert to what was happening and his emotions peaked in panic. "I don't like what you are feeling." She told him. "So, stop it."

"That is amazing." He said quickly trying to cover up his actions.

"You may say that but your emotions don't say that." she growled at him. "I'm not some freak. I just have different powers from you guys. Pulse, it's not my business what is in your past or what secrets you want to keep. I don't care. I'm not here to tell people's secrets so relax already." She didn't like that he felt scared. It was kind of insulting. "Look I don't care what any of you have to hide, just don't lie to me."

"Well it is amazing; it just caught me off guard. It's just that," he paused as he looked for the right word, "It's a little unnerving."

She nodded as she sat down. His emotions were finally settling down and she was feeling a little weak. "Well, now you know."

Fred and George walked over to her and looked her over, "She is pale again." George said as Fred handed her a glass of water to drink.

"Here drink this; it will help calm you down." Fred told her.

"No, give me sugar." She told him. "I need some kind of juice."

"I have some pumpkin juice." Lee said as he poured some in the glass.

"Oh, God, no," She said as she tried to push Fred and George away. "I hate the taste of pumpkin."

"Oh, just drink it." They said as they pushed the glass into her hands.

She grumbled something as she pinched her nose and drank it. It was still revolting. "God, I hate pumpkin."

They laughed, "You are so weird."

"I'm weird, you guys are weird. Who eats and drinks pumpkins?"

"You don't like pumpkin pie?" Fred and George asked.

"Yuck. No way. I rather have sweet potato pie. Now that is good."

"So from now on, we have to have some sweets and juice for her." Fred said as George wrote them down on a piece of parchment.

"Since she is young and don't know how to control her powers yet she gets drained more easily, especially when she uses her empathy power." George told Lee.

"And depending on the memories it could also affect her too. If there are a lot of bad memories it can make her sick." Fred told Lee.

"So the food and sugar is to calm her down and to get her strength up." George finished.

Lee nodded as he watched her. She gave him a little smile. Stop looking at me like I'm going to fall apart. I'm stronger than what I look. I'm just a little tired right now."

Fred held her hand as he took her pulse. "She is starting to calm down; some of her color is coming back to her."

George scribbled something on his parchment and nodded.

Roman frowned as she swatted Fred and George's hands away. "Are you two experimenting on me?" she asked them as she tried to stand up and look at what George was writing but ended up being pushed back down by Fred.

"We aren't experimenting on you." Fred said.

"We are simply researching some things about you." George finished.

Roman frowned, "That is the same thing! It's just a different word!" she protested as she tried to stand back up.

"Oh, who cares, just sit still while we finish." Fred told her as he pushed her back down.

"Hey, that is why you wanted Ron's rat, isn't it? You wanted to compare us, didn't you?"

"Wow, she learns fast." George told Fred.

"Put an extra point down for her." Fred told George.

"Don't touch me!" she said indignantly as she kicked at Fred. "I'm not a rat, a vermin, or a rodent that carries diseases."

She pushed away from Fred and hid behind Lee. "Oh, come on, Roman, we have never met anyone like you. We just wanted to run some tests."

"No, you can't treat people like this." She scolded them as she stayed hidden behind Lee. "I'm not an animal and _my_ IQ is higher than some damn rat. Do you know how insulting that is?" She felt their devious emotion as they stepped closer to her. "Fred, George, if you come any closer to me I swear, it will be on like ping-pong." She warned them.

"Roman, I don't think your warnings are going to work very much." Lee told her as he and Roman backed themselves into a corner.

The twins only smiled as they looked at each other and then jumped on Lee to get to her. Roman gave a little squeal and dropped to the floor to crawl away. "Oy! That my ribs!" Lee shouted as he fell to the ground.

"Don't let her get away!" George shouted as he wrestled with Lee.

Roman almost got away when Fred grabbed her by the ankle. "Got ya!"

Lee pushed George off him and jumped on Fred. "Run Roman."

Roman laughed as she jumped up and ran for the door!

"Colloportus!" George yelled. An odd breeze flew by her and hit the door. She pulled on the handle and it wouldn't budge.

"You have got to be kidding me!" she growled as she grabbed her wand. "Alohomora!"

"Ha! You can't open it. I sealed the door." He told her victoriously.

"You devil child!" she told him and quickly ducked as another spell came towards her. She quickly crawled to the other side of the room. There were some falling tables some more banging around before Lee dove next to Roman. "Oh it's really on!" she looked around the room and saw a vase full of water. "Wingardium Leviosa." She said the vase rocked a little and then levitated into the air. "Oh, shit. I don't remember what that spell was."

Lee laughed. "Locomotor," He said as he made the vase move from its spot and drop in front of the twins.

"Are you trying to kill us?" George yelled.

"No, I'm just trying to teach Roman how to move things."

From across the room a pillow flew and hit them.

"L-l-loco…" Roman started then stopped. "What is it again?"

"Locomotor," He told her.

"Locomotor." She said as she pointed at her book bag."

"Accio Roman." Fred called. Roman squealed as she levitated into the air and floated right into Fred' arms. "Now that is how you get what you want."

"CHEATER!" Roman protested.

"Accio Roman." Lee said and Roman started to float towards Lee.

"Accio Roman!" Fred yelled.

"Well, this is kind of disconcerting." Roman said as she just stayed levitated in the air. "Uh, guys. Can you put me back on the ground?"

"Not until Lee let's go?" Fred said.

"No, you let go first." Lee told him.

"I had her first."

"So what if you had her first. She obviously doesn't like you pulling your experiments on her."

"Why do you care? You were the one freaked out when she told you your secret. You didn't want anything to do with her then."

"It was a shock. I had to get over my shock. Just because I was a little shocked don't mean that I'm not going to just sit back and let you do whatever you want."

"Well, this is going to be awhile." Roman mumbled to herself. She summoned a book out of her book bag and opened it. George continued to scribble on his parchment as Lee and Fred continued to argue. The bell for class to end came and gone, then the bell to start a new class started to ring. She checked her watch and went back to reading, still floating in the air.

It was almost lunch time when the bell rang again. "Here you go, Roman." George said as he lifted an apple into the air to her.

"Thank you, George." She bit into the apple and flipped a page in her book. For some time now she had felt Celes looking for her and feeling worried. She sighed as her emotions started to become stronger. "You know now would be the time to put me down and we could hide because Celes is coming. That is if you don't want to get into trouble." She said in a matter of fact tone.

"Let go, Lee."

"Let go, Fred."

They said in unison. Roman sighed irritably. "Oh forget it."

Celes opened the door the room and gasped when she saw Roman floating in the air while George scribbled on paper. Fred and Lee looked to be in a power struggle with each other. "What in Merlin's beard are you guys doing?" she nearly yelled.

"Hi Celes," George greeted. "Don't mind us; we are just doing some experimentation. Please come in and close the door behind you."

"Wait, how was she able to get into the door when you locked me in?" she asked George.

"I unlocked it when they first started this. I figured we would be in this situation for a while."

Roman crossed her arms and mumbled something as she bit into her apple.

"How can you all be so... so nonchalant? Roman is FLOATING IN THE AIR!" Celes said pulling out her wand. "Accio Roman." Roman began to float down towards her. When she was back on the ground Celes planted her hands on her hips and glared around at Fred, George, and Lee. "Now what's going on?"

"They started it!" Lee blamed.

"Did, not. You did." Fred counteracted.

"I don't care who started it Lee, I care that I walked in and Roman was floating in the air. Hello, do you have any regard for your friend's life?" Celes asked. "And George shouldn't you have done something. We are first years for Merlin's sake!"

George shrugged, "What could I have done? They weren't going to listen to me."

"See, I told you guys would be in trouble." Roman said.

"How about the three of you just stay away from Roman until you figure out what is making you argue over her. She's a girl not a lab rat." Celes said grabbing Roman's hand. "She's mine! And I'm not sharing her with anyone until you guys figure out why you're arguing... So I guess you're on restriction from Roman until then." she hated that she sounded so much like Hermione but it's what needed to be done. "Come on Roman, we have to talk anyways." she said looking at her friend.

Roman looked at Celes with horror and shock. "Why do I have to be punished for what they did? I mean yeah, you are putting them on restriction from me but doesn't that mean you are also restricting me from them too?"

"Yeah! Why does Roman have to be in trouble? That's not fair." Lee and the twins said at the same time.

Celes sighed. "Please, just take a week off from one another try to work out your problems. I don't think that Roman is being punished. But you know what if you want to subject yourself to them fighting over you and you possibly getting hurt more power to you." Celes said turning to the door. "I was just trying to help." she whispered opening the door back up.

Roman nodded as she felt relieved. She did feel a little bothered that she was floating it the air but after a while it felt kind of nice. Her stomach rumbled as she followed. "You didn't bring any food with you by chance, did you?"

"Yes, I snagged some food at lunch." Celes said opening her bag and pulling out the napkin with the chips she had snagged and handed them to Roman.

"Oh you are awesome!" she sang as she ate a chip. They got to a room Roman had never been before. Of course being with the twins she saw a lot of rooms but she was sure she didn't see _all_ of Hogwarts. She walked to the middle of the empty room and lied on the floor. "It kind of feels good being on the ground." She said as she closed her eyes.

"I'm glad I could rescue you." Celes said with a small smile. "So is that all you did today?" she ventured.

"Pretty much," she answered. "We were talking and they were trying to help me with something but the twins made me feel like some project so Lee stepped in and we had a war and Fred got tired of me hiding so he summoned me and then Lee summoned me and I ended up in the air cause neither one of them wanted to let go of me."

"Oh." Celes said sitting down on the floor of the empty room.

Roman looked over at her friend picking at her robe. "Celes, you hurt me." She said as she felt her chest lighten.

"I know." Celes whispered as her lip trembled. "I'm sorry. I know you dislike Draco, but he's my oldest friend... I don't know what else to say."

"It wasn't his fault. Well, not most of it. I just took my anger out on him. I don't care if I'm late to class. That wasn't a problem; it was the fact that I felt like I was pushed aside for him. Yeah he left a bad taste in my mouth but and I don't like him for it and I don't think you should have forgave him so easily but that is just my dislike for him talking. I know you knew him longer and it would make sense that you would choose him over me but it still hurt. I've become too attached to you and when you didn't even come back and I was angry. I was angry that you forgot about me and that you were happier with him than you were with me." She let her tears fall down the side of her face as she refused to look at her.

"Okay first of all, I'm not happier with him than I am with you. It's just different. Second of all, I'm attached to you too. I mean come on Roman, what makes you think I wouldn't be? And yes, I forgot about you and I'm really sorry for that. But Draco and I had just made up again. We being friends will never change what you did for me while he was being… a poo-poo head. I don't want us to be upset at one another anymore… You're my friend; I want it to stay that way, please?" Celes said stepping towards her.

Roman gave a laugh as she wiped her eyes, "Did you just call him a poo-poo head?" she laughed as she sat up and looked up at Celes. "I like being your friend and I will always be your friend." She bit her lip as she thought of something then she nodded. "We can still be friends."

Celes sighed and wiped her own tears away. "Good. And yes...I don't like to swear. It's a result of my upbringing I think. Hearing my mother and Aunt Cissy swear a lot made me not want to. I don't ever want to be like them." Celes said lying down on the floor breathing deeply. She looked around the room. "What is this place?"

"I don't know, I thought you knew." She looked at Celes on the floor. There was something bothering her but she wouldn't say. Since they cleared up their issue it couldn't have been her. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm... good. I think. I talked to my brother. He wanted to know me. _Me_ , the child who almost broke up his parent's marriage," Celes said still curious about the room.

Roman wasn't buying into her 'I'm good.' But she played along. "Well, wouldn't you be curious about your sibling that you weren't allowed to see or was the result of a parent's adultery? I know I would."

Celes laughed. "I guess I don't know though." she whispered.

"Well, guess it's because I've always been alone so I would be curious to know my sibling. And, hey, maybe your brother is a genuinely nice guy… Who is your brother again?"

"Cedric Diggory, he's a Hufflepuff. He's three years older than I am." she said looking up at the ceiling. "He's nice it was good to talk to him."

"Oh, well I'm jealous."

"Why?" Celes asked surprised.

"Well, because you have a sibling and a friend you grew up with. I never had anyone like that."

"Well you have me. You have me forever okay? I'm not going anywhere." Celes said with a smile.

Roman laughed, "And we are going to be constantly fighting our other friends; Me with Draco, and you with the twins and Lee. I kind of like the ring of that."

Celes laughed nodding. "I suppose we will. Oh hey I met this Ravenclaw in the library the other day. I didn't get to tell you cause of all that happened." Celes said. "She's nice, her name is Miranda Knight."

"Ooh, a Ravenclaw. They are blue, right. Wait, Miranda Knight. Was she the one that was sorted into Ravenclaw and then some boy was excited about it was like 'that is how you stick it to your father.' or something like that?"

"Yeah I think that was her." Celes said bobbing her head yes. "She's good friends with some Slytherin too I think he was the guy honestly although I didn't see him."

Roman wrinkled her nose, "Stinking', Slytherin, don't like them."

"Well I don't know, have you ever met one that isn't Draco?" Celes laughed. "My Uncle is one...or was one and he's the head of the house."

She frowned as she thought of the head of Slytherin. "Head of Slytherin is my love monkey. But it does make sense that he was Slytherin... wait my love monkey is your Uncle?"

"Yes... his younger sister is my Mum." Celes said nodding. "I've spent most of my life with him as a father figure in my life. I love him. He seems cold but he's one of the warmest people I know."

Roman sighed dramatically as she lay down. "How could love of my life be your uncle? Now I have to break things off with him. This will be so sad."

"Roman, you're eleven. You don't even know what love is yet." Celes snorted a giggle.

"I do too." She said indignantly. "Love is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person."

"You looked that up." Celes said sticking her hands in her pocket and felt the tattered piece of parchment of her mother's letter and her smile faltered.

Roman stopped laughing when she felt her mood change. She sat up and looked at Celes, "What's in your pocket?" she asked her directly.

"Just...a letter from my mum." she said softly.

"What does it say?"

"That she's upset I got sorted into Gryffindor but to make the best out of a bad situation..." Celes said taking it out and handing it to Roman.

Roman growled as she ripped the letter into pieces. "Oh I can't stand people that are… are… so ignorant! So what if you were placed in the Gryffindor. Gryffindor isn't a bad house."

"It's not that," Celes said as she picked up the pieces of the letter."

"Do, not touch those tainted pieces." Roman growled as she pulled them out of her hand. "Just because, you are sorted into this house doesn't make you a bad person. Let me guess your mother was a Slytherin, wasn't she?"

"Yes."

"See, I told you I didn't like Slytherin!" She shot to her feet and started to pace. "Look, this will be the plan. You have to get close to Harry, right. Well, we will become friends. So you did your job. She didn't say anything else so that is all you have to do."

She raised her hand when Celes went to say something. "I don't want to hear it. You will be his friend and enjoy school." She paused as she thought of something and started pacing again. "Of course if you become his friend you won't be hanging out with Draco all that much because neither Harry nor the Weasleys like Malfoy. This could be good. Then we could all hang out more often and leave him to his brainless flunkies." Roman turned and looked at Celes. "We are going to make friends with Harry and Ron. Let's go."

Celes frowned as if she felt like a whirlwind just came and knocked her around and then left. "Roman, what are you planning? We can't just go up to them and say 'hi, I'm Celes and I want to be your friend." She yelled after her.

"Yes you can." Roman stopped in her tracks. "Wait, we can't, can we. Apparently he is famous for surviving a death attack from the Lord moldy guy. No matter I have a plan. Come on," she said as they left the room. They went down a couple of halls, stairs, and finally found themselves in the Great Hall.

Roman found Ron and Harry sitting at a table playing Wizard's Chest. She casually walked over and placed her book bag on the table and signaled Celes to do the same. She began reading her book and doing whatever homework. When she felt Celes calm down and become more involved into her homework, she looked over to Ron and Harry play and scooted closer. When one of the pieces smashed the other she got excited and leaned in closer.

"I thought you guys were only playing chess. But they are moving and smashing each other." She said excitedly.

"It's called Wizard's Chest," Ron said.

"So, does it play like regular chest?"

"Yes," Harry answered as he lost.

"Ron, this is the most interesting way to play chess. May I play?"

"Sure have a seat." Harry stood and allowed Roman to sit.

"He is really good," Harry told her.

"It's okay I'm a pretty fast learner. I'll be beating him in no time." She said as she smiled at Ron. "By the way I'm Roman McTaggert and this is my friend Celes Diggory."

"Pleased to meet you, now be prepared to _think_ you are going to beat me."

"We will see about that." 30 min later Roman leaned back in victory and a big smile on her face. "I believe that is check mate."

Ron looked at her in disbelief and looked at the board has her knight smashed his king into pieces. "Unbelievable! No one has ever beaten me before."

"Its okay, Ron, if it means anything to you, I cheated."

"How did you cheat?"

"I will never tell." She teased as she stood up stretched. "Oh, wow look at the time it's almost time for dinner, I have to go and put my stuff."

"Wait, how did you cheat?"

"I'll never tell." Roman sang.

"You have to tell."

"I'll only tell if you let us sit by you tonight."

"What about my brothers?" Ron asked a little surprised.

"Well, because of a particular restriction I have to stay away from them for a week." She said as she looked directly at Celes.

"Don't look at me; they were the ones that had you floating in the air." She said with a huff.

"Really? Why did they have you floating in the air?" Harry asked.

"They had a disagreement about some things. So, are we invited to sit with you or not?"

"I think that would okay," Harry agreed.

"But you better tell me how you cheated."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Roman waved her hand dismissively as walked away. "Anyways, we will be back." She told them as she started to walk away. Celes had to run to catch up. "Okay, so far the plan is working. During dinner, it's all you."

"Thanks Roman."

"Oh, it's no problem. Besides I have a good feeling about this." As they walked and talked they went by the library as a girl was coming out along with a boy.

"Please Miranda."

"No, Blaise."

"Please, please, please, Miranda. Just for a little bit, I promise to be quick."

"No, Blaise, you can't copy my notes. Besides we don't even share classes with each other."

"But we still have the same teachers, so it will still work. Please just let me copy your notes."

"No, now leave me alone." With that said Miranda stormed away.

Blaise sighed and then kicked a wall, "I just wanted to borrow your notes so I could do my home work."

"Do you usually talk to yourself? You are one disturbed little boy." Roman asked as they stopped and looked at him

Blaise turned and gave them a look, "Well, you guys are here so I'm actually not talking to myself."

Roman frowned and looked at him as if he was crazy.

"You are so weird." Celes told him.

"Hey, you guys are Gryffindors, we share the same classes. Can I borrow some of your notes from Transfiguration?" he asked as he stuck out her bottom lip.

"Okay," Celes told him as she pulled her notes out of her bag.

Roman snatched them out of her hand before Blaise could take them. "No way, you are a Slytherin."

He gave her a lost look, "Yes I am, and you are a Gryffindor. So it works out cause we share the same classes." He told her brightly.

"You seem cheery for a Slytherin." Celes tells him.

"I agree to that too. Why are you a Slytherin?"

"If I tell you will you let me borrow the notes?"

"It depends on your answer, but proceed."

"My family is all Slytherins and I just kind of ended up there." Blaise said "My friend Miranda managed to get away with not being in it. I'm cool I guess, a house is a house to me."

"I can respect that answer. A house is a house. But can we really trust you? What can you give us in return? I need some kind of collateral."

"Hey those are my notes." Celes said as she frowns.

"We need to know if we can trust him."

"Well, Snape don't like me."

Roman raised her eyebrow, "Really? Snape favors Slytherin, so he wouldn't mark you down that bad. Think of something else."

"Nah Snape doesn't like me, he doesn't think I 'fit' in Slytherin and he's right." Blaise said shrugging.

"Really? In Potions class you'll have to sit with us. Well, me cause Celes likes to sit next to Draco. I get lonely sometimes. So you will be my new friend."

"Okay sounds good." Blaise said smiling. He turned and smiled at Celes who has been relatively quiet. "So, Malfoy's your friend, huh?" he asked Celes nodded still a little shocked at her feelings for him to speak.

"Yes I am." She told him and then turned to Roman. "Can he now borrow my notes?"

"Oh yeah, here," She handed the notes to Blaise. "I will see you in potions, but if you are feeling lonely at your table you can come and hang with us. I have been restricted to hang with my friends for a week." She said as she looked at Celes. "And I'm going to be _so_ _bored_!"

"Well they were being... You were floating!" Celes said trying to wrap her head around her thoughts.

"I would have been fine." She told her. "You see what happened was, we were having a war and I just ended up floating in the air. It was no big deal. Anyways I can help you with your homework if you need any help."

"Why would you do that, I can help him with his homework Roman!" Celes said before she thought and blushed when she saw the shocked look on Blaise's face.

"Well the reason _I_ offered is cause I have nothing to do _all_ week, including the weekend. I figured if we get his homework done early we can do something else. Besides stay in the com room and do thing or pretend Fred, George, Lee, and Draco don't exist. Cause if I have to stay away from them for a week you have to stay away from Draco." Roman stuck her tongue out at Celes. "So how about it Blaise, want to hang out with two Gryffindors for the entertainment? Oh did I mention we might pick on Ron and Harry while we are at it?"

"Sounds good to me," Blaise said with a grin and a wink. Celes smiled and took one of his offered arms.

"Good, now I have to return my bag to my room cause I am starving. I hope we don't have anything with pumpkin in it. I so don't like pumpkin. Come on Celes."

"There is pumpkin juice at every meal..." Blaise said trailing off.

Roman gave him a look of shock and disgust. "Who drinks that stuff? It's disgusting, do you drink that stuff?" As they walked they bumped into Fred, George, and Lee.

"Celes!" they called. They ran up to her and fell to their knees. "PLEASE FORGIVE US!" they said in unison.

"We will take good care of her." Lee said.

"And she won't float into the air…" Fred started.

"Not unless we have safety precautions." George finished.

"She shouldn't float in the air at all! She's not a test subject. You got a whole cue of kids who'd do it why use her." Celes said stepping forward and planting her fists on her hips.

"Now, Celes, that is not fair. If you are worried about my safety you should be worried about their safety too." Roman told her.

"'Okay here's the deal Roman, they know roughly what's going to happen, you on the other hand may not. That's what bugs me. You walk in blind!" Celes exclaimed.

"Well, I wouldn't say she is blind…" George trailed off as Fred and Lee hit him to shut up. Roman glared at him.

"What George is trying to say is that I know more or less what is going on because I'm helping him with most of their experiments."

"Fine, you're still on restriction, if I have to stay away from Draco you have to stay away from them. And you know what; I want to hang out with Blaise now." Celes said grabbing Blaise's hand and dragging him off.

Roman growled under her breath and stomped her foot. "I will talk to you guys later. I made plans." She told them, "Especially if I want my plan to work." She mumbled.

"What plan?" Fred asked.

"Oh it's nothing. I have to go I'll see you guys later."

Lee stopped Roman from leaving when the twins left. "I'm glad to see you two worked out your issue." He told her. "It's hard to get by without friends."

She smiled widely at him and then took off to catch up with Celes and Blaise.

At dinner, Celes chatted away with Harry and Blaise. Roman was kept occupied by Ron, whom demanded to know how she cheated. She only gave him a little run around on her answer and then finally told him she read his expressions, which he decided made more sense and was determined to work on it.

The weeks came and went, months also came and went and with each passing month it got colder. Celes stayed true to her word. She was in Gryffindor tower every morning to wake Roman up, well except for weekends. Fred, George, and Roman constantly stayed in trouble with Celes. She was always catching them doing something they shouldn't be doing. When Roman had tried to warn them whenever Celes came around they had only ignored her and continued to do what they were doing, thus resulting in their experiments being held up because of their time apart.

Roman sighed as she went to the restroom. She wasn't feeling too well and because of it she was crabby. After she was done using the restroom she turned to flush the toilet only to find something she wasn't expecting at all.

Roman's scream was heard down many halls of Hogwarts. She raced down hall after hall until she was in the dungeon room of her potions class. When she slammed the door open everyone turned and looked at her in surprised.

"50 points from…" Snape trailed off as Roman grabbed Celes and ran out the door.

Celes followed caught off guard. "What is going on?" she asked trying to pull away.

"I'm dying and I need you to help me write my Will and Testament." Roman told her breathlessly as she rushed themselves to their tower.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?" Celes tried to pull her to a stop.

They both ignored Percy's scolding of them needing to be in class as Roman slammed the door to their room. "I'm bleeding internally. I don't know how long I have until I finally go. We need a quill and scroll paper."

"Bleeding internally? What do you mean bleeding internally? Did someone curse you?"

"I don't know. I feel like normal." She pulled out paper and a quill. She paced the floor and then opened her trunk. "Okay, I'm leaving you my _paus_. The Twins can have my potions and spells." Roman paused as she looked at Celes with tears in her eyes. "I don't want to die. There are so many things I want to do."

"Roman, where are you bleeding from? Are you sure you're bleeding?"

"Of course I'm bleeding." She snapped. "I've seen enough blood to know what it looks like." Her eyes grew big as an idea struck her. "I know who could have cursed me. My father. Celes, you have to promise me something. When I die you have to try with all your power and prove he did it. Promise me!"

"I promise." Celes told her as she stood up and walked to Roman. "Where's the blood maybe I can heal you. Please let me try."

"I think it's too late for me. I'm already cold. And I really need to get my will written out." She paced again as she started to take inventory of all her stuff. "I know I shouldn't have gone to the restroom. But if I didn't then I wouldn't have found out I was dying."

"Wait you went to the restroom? Roman, you got your first period." Celes said trying hard not to laugh at her distressed friend.

Roman looked angrily at Celes. "This is not funny, Celes. I'm going to die any moment and you are laughing? Oh, never mind. You can' have my _paus_. I'll give them to someone else." She crossed out Celes's name off the paper and continued to look through her trunk.

"Roman!" Celes yelled. "You're just having your period. You aren't going to die."

"Yes I am! I'm bleeding. Do not insult my intelligence. I know when people bleed they are hurt. Since nothing on the outside hurts I'm obviously bleeding internally. And when people bleed internally they die!"

"Roman, you are _supposed_ to bleed, its part of being a girl."

"What kind of sick nonsense are you talking about? I never heard of any girls bleeding internally and living… well, unless you're a vampire, but even then, they don't count."

"Celes sighed, "It comes out of your lady parts. You are cramping too aren't you? That is a period. I've been having them since I was ten. It is normal and will stop in a few days."

Roman looked at Celes in horror. "What? Wait, what? I don't understand?"

"You're a girl, once a month a girl has a period. Basically your body is ready for baby making, it's part of puberty."

"What book you read that from? I've never heard of this. I heard of sex but not this."

"Actually its one of the few things my mom explained to me it's normal. I swear to Merlin."

"So I'm not dying, it's just another phase in life?"

"Yes, Roman. You are not dying, I promise."

"Okay," Roman sighed as she put away her stuff. "Teach me everything you need to know about this phase of life."

For the rest of the day, Celes answered whatever questions Roman had and told her everything she knew. It was nearly dinner time when Lee and the twins called up to them.

Roman stuck out her head, from the door, "What?"

"It's nearly time for dinner, are you going to eat, or are you too busy to eat?" George asked.

"We'll be down in a bit. Go without us."

"Are you sure?" Fred asked.

"Yes, now go!" Roman yelled and slammed the door. She turned to Celes with a worried look.

"It will be fine, Roman. Let's go eat."

"I think I'm going to stay hidden until this is gone." She told Celes as she crawled under her bed.

"It's not something you can hide from. You will be fine." Celes told her as she laughed and pulled her out from under the bed.

"No, I'm going to stay here until it's go away. I'm so not going down there to be mauled by guys. If I'm in heat then I'm staying here until it passes."

Celes laughed out loud, "You aren't in heat, Roman." Just come and eat and we will go to the library to find a book on this that will answer your question."

"No," she whispered as she slid under her bed again. "I'm in heat and I have to protect my virtue until I give it up."

"You aren't an animal, Roman. Your virtue will be fine. What if I said I was on mine right now, as we speak?"

Roman gasped and pulled Celes under the bed with her, "We have to stick together. We can't have the boys knowing we are in heat. You will hide here with me."

"Roman, you are now being ridiculous. We aren't going to be attacked by the boys. Let's just go and eat. Everything will be fine."

"No." Roman said as she wrapped a protective arm around Celes and eased her to sleep. "I have to protect you."

Celes blinked tiredly and yawned, "We will be fine…" Celes trailed off as she fell asleep.

Roman tucked her closed as she looked around the room for any sign of any threat. After a couple of hours later she also fell asleep.

It was towards the end of the week when Roman Finally felt safe to go out with the other students. Celes had tried to get her leave the room for the past week, even though she was annoyed that she had found herself awaken every morning under Roman's bed. It was only at night when she knew everyone was asleep, that Roman would leave the room and do what she needed to do. On one evening on her way back she was all of a suddenly cornered by Lee, Fred, and George.

"Where have you been, Roman?" Fred asked.

"We, felt like you are hiding from us." Lee told her.

"Did we do something wrong?" George asked.

Shocked by her new discovery, Roman pushed past them to gain some distance and looked at them in shock. "H-h-how did you do that?" she asked them.

"Do what?"

"How, did you sneak up on me?"

All three boys looked at her in shock and then at each other. "What do you mean?" George asked as he pulled out a book that held all his information and theories and knowledge about her.

Fred felt for a fever, "She is a little warm, but I think it's because she is blushing."

"This is interesting. Has anything changed in you recently that could have caused this?"

Roman turned even redder than what she was, "No!"

"Are you sure? You have been hiding from us these past few days." George told her.

"You didn't get sick did you?" Fred asked.

Roman straighten her spine, "I never get sick." She snapped.

"What have you been eating?" George asked.

"None of your business." Roman told him. "And stop writing in that damn book." She snapped.

"She does seem paler than normal, don't she, George." Fred told his twin brother.

Lee watched her closely as the twins asked her questions. He knew something had happened to her by the way she was being defensive, but he wasn't sure."

"Fred, George, stop it!" she growled as she swatted at their hands and stepped away from her. It was right then she bumped into, Madam Pomfrey.

"Miss McTaggert, m'dear, I was just about to come and see you."

"Why?" Lee asked. "Is she sick?"

Madam Pomfrey eyed the three boys, "Now, you three are supposed to be in your house. What are you doing roaming the halls? Get going, go on." She shooed them away as she took hold of Roman.

Roman was thankful for getting away from the boys but at the same time she also wanted to leave too.

"Come with me." Madam Pomfrey told her. "You are paler than I thought you would be."

"I am not pale." Roman objected, but Madam Pomfrey wasn't hearing any of it. When they were in the medical wing she placed Roman by a bed and started to look her over. "Professor Dumbledore, had advised me you are a special young lady."

Roman stiffen as she carefully looked the nurse over, "What did he say, exactly?"

"Enough to know that you are of different magic and that I might have my work cut out for me. You are lucky your friend was concerned enough to talk to me."

"What did Celes say?" Roman asked as her voice cracked.

"Oh, don't be embarrassed, it's very natural; however since you are of different magic this could affect you differently, however, not that much differently."

Roman swallowed hard as she bit her bottom lip, "How differently?"

Madam Pomfrey stopped her movement as she looked at Roman and gave her a smile, "You aren't going to be attacked, m'dear. You aren't an animal you are a person." She patted Roman on the arm. "But it could drain your powers or make them act weird if you don't take proper care of yourself."

"So, I'm not going to be attacked? I'm not in heat?"

Madam Pomfrey laughed, "Oh, Merlin's Beard, no." She shook her head, "Some ideas you young people come up with. No, dear, you are not. Now, take this, tomorrow eat a proper meal, and join with your friends, from what I can see they are all worried about you."

Roman took a deep breath and then nodded, "Okay, Madam Pomfrey." After taking the what Madam Pomfrey gave her she started walking back to her house com room. She felt a little better and soar. She really needed to sleep in a real bed and not under the bed like she has been. She stretched as she entered the com room and was immediately cornered again by Fred, George, and Lee.

"So, what didn't Madam Pomfrey say?" George asked.

"Are you sick?" Lee asked.

"Will you be okay?" Fred asked.

"Well, she does seem to have her color back." George observed.

"I'm fine, just leave me alone." Roman hissed as she swatted at George and Fred again. "I'm okay, I'm not sick. I just had to handle some personal problems."

"What kind of personal problem…" Fred asked.

"…It could help us with you." George continued, as he pulled out his book.

Roman frowned, "What is that book? Why are you always writing in there?" she asked as she tried to look at it."

"It's nothing." Fred said as he made George put it away.

"Sure it's not." She said as she walked around them

"Well, there is something we want to give you." Lee told her as he grabbed a hold of her hand and dragged her to the couch. Lee sat on one side of her while Fred sat on the other side and George sat behind her. "We thought you were avoiding us, so we bought you something."

"Well, we bought it before then to give to you for Christmas…" Fred told her.

"…But then you stopped hanging out with us so we were going to give it to you as an apology gift." George finished.

"And when we talked to Celes, she said you weren't feeling well, so we are giving it to you as a get well gift." Lee told her.

Roman frowned, "I wouldn't avoid you guys. You guys are my friends… I just had to handle some issues."

They smiled and handed her a long box wrapped in purple paper that changed to different shades of purple. "We notice you wear a lot of purple." Lee told her.

"So we figured it was your favorite color." Fred told her.

Roman smiled and carefully unwrapped the paper and slid out the box. When she opened the lid a pair of black elbow length gloves lay in dark purple lace.

"We figured you could use 'em on days you were feeling overwhelmed." Fred told her.

"We made sure to get them big so you could grow into them." Lee told her.

"And we don't come by Galleons very often, either." George told her.

Roman gave a little laugh as she stared at the gloves. She didn't know how to react to the gift. It was a well thought out plan and she knew it was expensive even for 3rd years. "How did you get them? You aren't allowed to leave Hogwarts." She asked.

"Yes, we are. All 3rd years and up can leave to Hogsmeade." The twins said in unison.

"They are beautiful," she didn't want to touch them for fear of ruining them. The only emotion she remembered living with was anger, loneliness, and annoyance. She was never excited, happy, or thankful. Her father usually was out of town during her birthdays and Christmas so she spent those times either with the help or alone, but mostly alone. " _How does one express great gratitude?"_

"Do you like them?" Fred asked.

"Try them on," George told her.

Roman caressed them gently. "Thank you." She whispered as she got up and walked to her room. She placed the wrapping paper neatly into her trunk and crawled into her bed and cuddled the box closely to her. She would never forget this moment.

The next day Roman woke early with a cold chill in the air. As she sat up she shivered and rubbed her arms. All the girls were in their beds, well except for Celes. She was tired of waking up under Roman's bed and trying to talk her into going to class and that everything was fine, so she went to sleep over with Draco.

Roman slipped out of her bed and walked to the window. She gasped with surprise as she saw that everything was covered with a thick blanket of snow.

She quickly changed into her warmest clothes and boots, grabbed her coat and ran down to her com room. She bit her bottom lip as she looked over to the stairs to the boy's dormitory. Deciding against it she quickly left the com room, dashed down some stairs, and halls, and was outside. The snow was undisturbed and beautiful. It was like winter was beautiful queen and the snow was her long white coat.

With a smile she slipped on her new gloves the boys gave her and dipped her boot covered toe into the snow, then she backed up a few feet, ran, and jumped into the snow, then giggled as she fell onto her back and watched as the snow around her flew into the air. She moved her legs and arms as she made a snow angel. She quickly got up and looked at her work. With a smile of satisfaction she started her main project, building a snowman. The snow was a soft, light powder, type of snow so it was pretty much easy to form a ball and pack it. After making the bottom part of the snowman she sighed and wiped sweat off her forehead.

As she made the middle part she noticed other kids were coming out to play and enjoy the first snow. Roman rolled the middle ball up to the base of her snowman and tried to lift it, but it was too heavy. She tried to pick it up again but it still wouldn't move. Roman growled as she looked down at it with her hands on her hips. How was she going to move it on too? From behind she was hit with a couple of snowballs but she ignored them as she continued to think of her plan. As she bent down to work on it again she was hit twice but a little harder.

"Don't ignore us, Roman McTaggert!" Two voices said in unison.

She looked behind her and saw Fred and George walking towards her looking annoyed. She gave a little smile, "Good morning, Satan's Twins." She teased.

"Don't act all cheery," Fred told her.

"We are mad at you." George said as they completed each other's sentence.

Roman frowned, "Why are you mad at me? What did I do?"

"You didn't wake us up…"

"…So that we may join you."

"Well, I thought you might want to sleep in. Why would you want to hang out with me? I'm a girl after all." She told them as she turned back around and looked at her snowball. "Besides, you two always have each other to keep you company. I've always been alone so it's no big deal and you shouldn't be upset."

Frustration and hurt radiated off the twins. She turned around just in time to see them grab a hold of her coat and push her down.

"What the hell is your problem?!"

"You…" Fred said.

"…Are." George completed.

"Why?"

"Because you are now part of us." George told her.

"You have been alone too long." Fred told her.

"We didn't buy you those gloves so you could be alone all the time." Lee told her as he walked up behind the twins.

"If being around people…"

"…Overwhelms you, then you can wear them…"

"…And be free to be around your friends!"

Roman looked at them in surprised and didn't know what to say. They cared for her and didn't want her to be isolated. She wanted to be angry at them to tell them to mind their own business but they were right. "I-I" she trailed off as she sat up and looked around. A lot of the kids were playing with each other, laughing, screaming, and just having fun being in each other's company. No one was alone. She had been the only one alone. Even when they had hit her with snowballs to get her involved, but she just ignored them and kept working on her project.

She didn't notice she was crying until they all sat around her and Lee whipped away her tears and Fred pulled out some toast for her to eat.

"You know, this is the part you are suppose to say, 'I'm sorry.'" George teased.

"You haven't been eating, so we brought out toast." Fred told her as he gave it to her.

Lee whipped the rest of her tears away as he handed her a handkerchief to blow her nose. "We didn't mean for you to cry." He told her.

"I know, but," she trailed off, "I'm sorry. I have just been going crazy with this whole new phase of life and then you guys bought me these gloves. I just don't know how to react. I really do like the gloves. They are the best gift anyone has given me and I will take extra care of them."

"New phase of life?" George asked as he pulled out his book again.

"What new phase?" Fred asked.

"I apparently got my period and I have been hiding under my bed the whole week. The way I had it figured out in my head is that I was in heat and I didn't want anyone to attack me and take my virtue until I was ready to give it away."

Fred and George made a face of disgust. "Ewe!" they said in unison.

Lee laughed, "Well, it explains why, she was pale. Hey, this could be why we were able to sneak up behind her last night."

George quickly started writing. "What there anything else that we should know?"

"I can't believe we are having this conversation." Roman told them then shrugged. "Nothing new besides that. Why are you writing everything down?"

George closed his book, "We are just taking notes so that we know more about you."

Roman laughed, "Wow, nothing like getting personal, in my life."

"What were you trying to build?" Fred asked.

"A snowman."

"That, is supposed to be a snowman?" Fred asked.

"Don't be mean." She told him. "It would look more like one if I could get that part on top of that."

"Why don't you do so?"

"Because it's too heavy and I can't pick it up." She told him as she made face.

Fred rolled his eyes as he rolled up his sleeves, "Come on guys, let's show her how a real snowman suppose to look like." They all got around the big snowball and picked it up and placed it on the base.

"That doesn't look right." Roman said as she ate her toast. "It's too crooked."

They boys picked it back up and moved it around, "How does that look?" George asked.

"Nope, now it's too lopsided."

They picked it up again and replaced it, "Now?"

"Nope, you guys moved it too far to the other side, it needs to be in the middle or it won't stand correctly."

"We know that, Roman." Fred growled.

"Well, then do it right." She teased again.

"Well, it's good to see you out and about." Celes told Roman as she sat next to her. "What are you guys doing?"

"They are showing me how to make a 'proper' snowman but they keep getting the middle off centered." Roman explained.

"Okay, how about now?" George asked.

"No, now it looks like it's leaning over me." Roman said.

"Well, it actually, it looks…" Celes trailed off as Roman shook her head.

"It's more fun this way." She whispered.

"Okay, now how is it." Fred asked.

"It's too far back now."

Fred growled, "I think you made the base too small and the middle too big." The told her.

"No, you guys aren't moving it correctly." Roman shot back. "My creation of the both parts is perfect. You guys wanted to be the tough guys and show me how a snowman was built. I'm just simply saying it's too crooked."

He growled in frustration, "It don't have to be perfect, Roman."

"Yes it does, Fred. I was perfectly content building a snowman and you took over. So now it has to be perfect."

"Fine, come on guys, one more time." They picked up the middle and replaced it.

"It's still off centered."

"No its not."

"Yes it is. Now I'm going inside to warm up while you guys fix it. When you are done come and get me. Come on Celes."

Celes giggled when they were out of hearing. "You are terrible."

"Yeah I know, but Fred started it when he made a face. Man, I have extra clothes, a warming spell and I'm still freezing!"

"Well, you are on your monthly so it would make sense you are cold."

"I'm starting to dislike this cold." Roman growled.

Celes laughed, "Come on, I'll give you all the homework you missed."

It was a couple of hours later when the Lee and the twins entered the com room. Roman was dressed in black pants and turtleneck and a purple sweater over it. Her hair was pulled back in a loose knot and she had purple fuzzy socks on. She looked really comfortable laying by the fire reading and doing her homework. The boys growled as they sat next to her and placed their cold hands on her. She screamed and hit them with her book.

"Don't touch me!" she yelled at them.

"Why not, Roman?" Lee asked.

"You left us out there replacing that big snowball over and over again…" Fred started.

"…making us think it was too lopsided." George asked.

Roman laughed, "So let me guess, you finally asked someone if it was lopsided and they said no?"

"No!" They all denied and looked away guilty.

She laughed again, "Serves you right for picking on me and looking down on _my_ snowman."

They all grumbled something as they walked up to their room to change out of their clothes.

"Roman, you are terrible. How could you do that to them?" Celes asked.

"Easy, they deserved it."

Celes shook her head. Later that night Celes sat in a chair curled up with a book. She was reading for fun. She didn't do that often and found most days she was reading for a class. As a first year it just worked that way for her. Roman had gone up to their dorm about an hour ago. She looked up when someone came into the Common Room. It was Harry. Even at 11 Celes blushed. He was famous. Celes smiled at him as he plopped down on the couch.

"Hey Celes." He said acting as if nothing was strange about him coming in at that time of night.

"Hello Harry, been running about that castle again?" she asked a slight grin on her face.

"Something like that." He said giving a sheepish grin.

"The holidays are coming, will you be going anywhere for them?" she asked.

"No, I think I'm just going to stay here." He said looking into the fire.

"Oh, well I um hope your holiday is good." She said dumbly

"And you Celes." He said turning and giving her a grin. She blushed but he didn't notice in the semi dark. He stood and bid her goodnight.

A week later she was on the train to Kings Cross with Draco. On their way home Draco looked nervous as he always did when he would have to be in the same home as his mother for more than a day. Celes was nervous too but she was trying like the devil to hide it. She didn't want to see her mother. She would have rather stayed at Hogwarts with Roman following her, the twins, and Lee about making sure they stayed out of trouble. But her Uncle had told her that he would even be joining them for this holiday and she should go. Not to mention it would be her second Green and Silver ball. She did like that idea, getting to wear a pretty dress and dancing. She loved dancing one of the things she did well she thought. She looked over at Draco with a half smile.

"Maybe she'll be kind for a change." She said hopefully.

"Probably not Celes but thank you for the encouragement." Draco said back grabbing her hand briefly and squeezing it.

He let go of her hand and went back to staring out of the window. Celes sighed and walked to the other side of the compartment curled up on the bench. She stared at Draco for a few minutes and right before she nodded off he was looking at her. She fell asleep.

When she woke up they were pulling into King's Cross Station. She yawned and got up. Draco was already out of the, of course. She rolled her eyes grabbed her trunk and dragged it out of the compartment following the other students who were going home for the holidays. She caught a glimpse of her older brother who waved before he stepped off the train. She stepped off a couple minutes later and looked around for a familiar face. There in the crowd was her mother. She looked disagreeable and very unhappy. Celes trudged over to her mother.

"Hello Mother." She said softly not looking at her.

"Celes. Draco has already been out of the train for 10 minutes." She snapped and turned. Celes had to run to keep up with her.

"I'm sorry Mother he didn't wake me when we got here. I didn't wake till the train had stopped." She said panting.

"Don't try to blame Draco for your mistakes." Rose snapped stopping in front of a store. Celes sighed and went in still dragging her trunk behind her.

She walked up to the fireplace grabbed some Floo Powder and threw it in she clearly said "Malfoy Manor" after she and her trunk had stepped in. On the other end a Dobby waited for her and a snide looking Draco. She fixed him with a dirty look as she stepped out of the fireplace to make space for her mother. She dusted off what ash she could and walked over to where Draco stood. Her mother whooshed in seconds later. She gave them on look and then walked away.

"Welcome home." Draco muttered and turned to the kitchen stairs and followed the Dobby up the stairs kicking her trunk every couple of seconds and laughing. Celes cringed and followed them both up the stairs.

Christmas in the Malfoy home was always pretty bleak and they didn't usually get too many gifts. Draco usually got something to show off and boast about and Celes usually got something from Draco. This year though when she woke up on the morning of the Ball there was a small pile of presents at the foot of her bed. She grinned and moved to the end. The first one she picked up was from Roman. She giggled when she opened the gift. A Roman's book of spells, just a little notebook with some joke spells and pictures. It was awesome. She placed that aside and opened the next one from Miranda. Just a quill, it was beautiful though. From Blaise she received a card with some carelessly scrawled note in it. She hugged it to her and smiled. There were two left, when she picked up the small package she was glad the House Elves delivered packages. It was from Harry Potter. She opened it and smiled. It was just a necklace, a simple little silver necklace with a small teardrop emerald on it. It reminded her of his eyes. She put it on set the box aside and grabbed Draco's. When she opened it she gasped. It was an old picture of them from childhood. They were smiling and waving. One of the few times they had had fun as children.

She got up then and pulled on a robe. She rushed down the stairs to make it to breakfast which did not include their parents. Just she, Draco and the house elves. She sat down and grinned.

"You're happy." Draco observed.

"It's Christmas." She said.

"In this house that's not happy Celes." He said taking a bite of his ham.

"Today it can be." She said scooping corned beef hash onto her plate she grabbed an over medium egg and smashed it all together and took a huge bite.

"Fine, Are you ready for the ball?" he asked changing the subject.

"I am. I picked a pretty dress that will be here this afternoon." She said eating her breakfast.

"Yeah? I'm glad. Will you be on my arm tonight then?" he asked sounding a lot older than he really was.

"I am every year." She said taking a drink of milk.

"That's good, I think our mothers would have heart attacks if we didn't." he said softly.

"Yes they would." Celes grabbed some toast and scooped up the rest of her egg yolk.

"I don't know how you can eat eggs like that." Draco said in disgust.

"It's good Draco and you know it." She said with a small humph and then got up from the table. "I'm off to do homework before I have to start to get ready for tonight." She said winking at Draco and walking off.

She wouldn't really talk to Draco again for the rest of the holiday. She would sit about writing letters to Roman, Miranda, and Blaise and dreaming about getting away from her mother. That was the one bad thing that seemed to be going on. She'd get railed into once a day by her mother. Stay close to the Potter kid, stop getting distracted by all these other meaningless people, stay with Draco like glue. She would sit there and take it mostly not listening.

She knew what she was suppose to do when it came to Harry Potter but didn't want to. She sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. Hair swept up in a beautiful design large curls running down her back. She wasn't wearing her glasses for a change. She had very little makeup on. She wore a long emerald dress with three quarter length sleeves a bodice that shaped down past her hips into a subtle half circle leading into a large emerald skirt. Of course her dress was completely age appreciated and very much something she would never choose to wear herself.

She turned away with a ruffle of her skirts and looked to find Draco, looking dashing and way too grown up, in his tails.

"Ready Cel?" he asked.

"Yeah I am." She said going over to him and taking his arm.

"Hey, um, what's with the necklace?" he asked pointing it out for the first time.

"Just a gift from a friend, It matches the dress so I wore it." She said shrugging it off as they entered the Ballroom which was filled with pure bloods all over the world. She sighed aloud Draco to lead her down the stairs and then the two separated. He went to his father while she lingered at the table of food nibbling on a small cake.

"You look nice." Came her mother's biting voice. "That doesn't happen very often."

Celes turned to her mother and forced a smile. "Thank you mother."

"I think that dress was a good choice." She said looking down her nose at her daughter.

"I'm going to go find Draco." Celes said walking away before her mother could say more. She was walking so fast she didn't notice Blaise Zabini standing in front of her until he said something.

"Well hello Tiny!" he said and Celes looked up with a smile. "Nice dress."

"Shut it, it's terrible." she snapped with a giggle.

"Dance with me." He said holding out his hand a cocky smile on his face.

Blaise didn't look anything like an eleven year old Celes had ever met. She of course realized this as he swept her onto the floor. The music was nice. She could dance, she had taken lessons with Draco from a very young age, but tonight she felt like she had forgotten everything she'd been taught.

"You okay?" Blaise asked.

"Fine." She said coming back to the world. She giggled a little as he spun her around the floor.

"Do you come every year to this?" she asked.

"No this is the first year my mother has made me come." He said.

"Don't like your Mum either huh?" she asked reading the distaste in the word 'Mother'.

"Yeah, I suppose we have that in common. By the way I like your necklace." He said with a wink.

"Oh it's from Harry Potter. I don't know why he'd send me something so nice." She said.

"Does he fancy you?" Blaise asked. His eyes darkened at the question.

"No, besides we are too young to entertain those kinds of questions if you ask me." She said grinning up at him.

"I suppose." He said as the song ended he stepped away. "Thank you for the dance Celes." He said bowing slightly and then he left Celes there on the dance floor.

 _What just happened?_ She thought drifting off the dance floor back over to the punch bowl. She was still deep in confused thoughts about Blaise when she found Miranda standing alone by the table. She wore a silver dress, although if you looked closely enough you could see sheen of blue going through it. Celes smirked at the minor rebellion in the dress. She walked up to her.

"Miranda! Hey it's brilliant to see another friendly face. It seems I've been abandoned twice in one night." Celes laughed.

"Twice?" she asked, she was looking about the crowd.

"Yes at first by Draco and then by Blaise on the dance floor none the less." Celes said with a bright grin.

Miranda's eyes came to focus on Celes at Blaise's name. "You've seen Blaise, I know he's supposed to be here this year but I haven't seen him yet. I'm so out of my element here among all these Slytherins." Miranda said shrugging.

"I keep getting the stink eye from everyone. I know your pain. Yes I saw Blaise but I think he's snuck off he went towards the library. You want to go see if we can find him?" Celes asked.

"Yes please." Miranda said. Celes grabbed her hand so they wouldn't lose each other in the crowd.

They reached the library shortly later. Celes bursts through the door and she felt her stomach fall out of her feet. There on the large leather sofa was Draco with Pansy Parkinson. They both looked up. Pansy simply smirked and gathered her things and left.

"Celes what are you doing in here? And you brought Knight too?" Draco said coldly getting up and going over to her. Celes was still in too much shock to even talk. She just stood there mouth opening and shutting in a silent question she couldn't seem to get out.

"We were looking for Blaise." Miranda said softly.

"He went into another room with one of Pansy's friends." Draco said with a shrug. Before Celes could even comprehend that, Draco was strolling out of the room.

"Celes, don't you live here don't you have a room. Let's just go there okay." Miranda said. Celes nodded and led Miranda up to her room. There she pulled off her ugly dress and crawled into bed.

"You should go back. You will probably go home soon." She mumbled into her pillow. Miranda left shortly after that.

Celes would not cry she didn't want to think that this was what it was going to feel like to be Draco's friend now. And why? Why did it matter so much? He was her best friend not her boyfriend or something. But it did matter. She hated him more than ever at that moment in her life.

When she traveled back on the train to Hogwarts she sat in a different part. She just slept most of the trip as she did on her way home. When they arrived back at Hogwarts it was still four days before classes started again. She couldn't wait to get to Gryffindor tower and see if Roman was there. Unfortunately when she arrived in their dorm she wasn't there. Hermione Granger was however.

"Did you have a nice holiday?" Celes asked putting her things away around her bed.

"Yes I did thank you." Hermione said sounding confused.

"That's nice. I'm glad at least someone did." Celes mumbled and turned to find that Hermione had left the room. Her heart sank further into a hole and she sat down on her bed waiting for Roman to return to the tower. Her spirits would surely lift when that happens.

"Hey Roman, come here for a moment." Fred called.

Roman walked over to the table in the dining hall and sat on her knees across from Fred. "What's up, Fred?"

"We want to conduct an experiment on you."

She frowned, "I don't want any more experiments on me."

"This will be fun, I promise."

"Fun for whom?"

"Oh, she is getting better," George told his twin. "It will be fun for the both of us."

Fred opened a small bag that was moving, "We want to know if you can tell us what flavor these are." He dumped the contents of the bag on a plate.

Roman squealed in alarm, "Please tell me those aren't what I think they are."

"They are Every Fruit Flavor Gummy Worms." Fred told her.

"And they are charmed to move and wiggle."

Roman squealed, "That is just gross!"

Fred laughed, "Come on Roman, you can't be scared by a simple wiggle charm on candy, are you?" he teased.

"It makes it gross! I like my candy to stay motionless. I mean, the Chocolate Frogs are a little unnerving as it is."

"They are perfectly harmless, Ro." Fred laughed again.

"Here hold one," George told her.

Roman went to pick one up but squealed again and jumped in a circle and wrung her hands. "I can't."

"Well, in order for the experiment to work, you have to touch them."

"I don't want to touch them."

"They are harmless. Look at this." Fred picked one up and dropped it into his mouth.

Roman squealed again, "That is disgusting!"

"Actually, it's not, the flavor was banana." He told her. He picked up another one. "Here, try this one."

"No,"

Fred bit the tip of it and sucked out the juice from it.

"THAT IS DISGUSTING!" Roman yelled.

"Here, catch!" Fred said and pretended to throw the outer out at her.

Roman screamed and moved to the side.

Fred and George both laughed.

"Why are you all so loud?" Lee asked as he entered the dining hall. "I can hear squeals and screaming all the way to the staircase.

"Roman is scared of the Every Fruit Flavor Gummy Worms." George laughed.

"I'm not scared; I'm just a little unnerved by them." She told him.

"No, you are a coward." Fred teased.

"I am not!"

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"You are too."

"Am not!"

"Prove it, eat one."

"Fine," she picked on up looked over it. When she raised it to her mouth she squealed again and dropped it onto the table.

"See, I told you!"

"Shut up!"

Lee smiled, "I must admit, your squeals are cute."

Roman turned red, "Shut up!"

He laughed, "Are you blushing?"

"No!"

Fred threw one at her and Roman screamed as she tried to get it off her. Fred and George laughed.

Lee laughed and then stopped Roman from jumping around; He plucked the wiggling worm from her untidy braid. "See, all gone." He told her. "It's just a harmless gummy worm. It's not like it has teeth." He wrapped an arm around her to comfort her.

"I know that." She told him but still checked her hair again. When she felt she was safe again she glared at Fred and George. "And you wonder why I call you both Satan's twins. Evil is what you are."

Fred frowned and picked up another worm, "I'll throw another one." He threatened.

"Do it, and I will make sure you will have nightmares for the rest of the year. I'm perfectly capable of doing so." She challenged back as she sat on her knees at the table.

He smiled, "Then pick up a worm."

Roman lifted her chin defiantly and crossed her arms. "No."

"No?"

"No."

"Roman, we just want to see if you can tell the different flavors." George told her.

She frowned, "Why?"

"So we know what extent your powers go to."

She looked down at the worms in disgust.

Lee leaned into her ear, "I will protect you from the worms if it gets too strong for you to handle." He whispered.

Roman laughed, "Don't be silly." She told him.

"I could tell you the same thing. Its only candy." He teased.

She sighed, "So I just have to guess what flavor it is?" They nodded. She hesitantly picked up a red one and fought to not drop it.

"So, what flavor is it?" George asked as he picked up his quill.

"I don't know."

"Well, pick a flavor," Fred told her.

"Um, strawberry?"

Fred took the worm and bit into it. He chewed and then shook his head, "Nope, it is dragon fruit." Fred told George.

"Here, try another."

Roman moaned and picked up a green one, "um," she closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. "Lime, I don't know."

Fred took it and bit it, "Nope, its kiwi."

"Kiwi?"

"Yep, its kiwi."

"Well, I guess she can't tell."

"Well, they don't have emotions" Roman told them. "They just move around, if they had some kind of emotion then I could probably find out what it is."

Fred smiled, "I am so glad to hear you say that."

Roman frowned and looked at him suspiciously, "Why?"

"Cause now, you can eat one."

"Oh, no, that was not part of the deal."

"Consider it a treat. They don't have emotions so it's okay to eat it."

"That sounds so twisted, in a weird sadistic way."

Fred laughed, "I will give you a head 10 second head start." He told her.

Roman didn't argue, she booked feet out of the dining hall without looking back.

Lee frowned, "Why do you pick on her so?"

Fred shrugged, "It's fun."

"I don't think it's right."

"Since when do we ever think of what is right and wrong?"

Lee sighed, "That is true."

"Ten!" Fred picked up a handful of worms and took off running.

"Don't spoil her dinner!" Lee called out after him.

Roman squealed as she ran up flights of stairs. She quickly turned into an empty class room and closed the door. She waited patiently for Fred to run past the room. When he did, she silently slipped out and ran towards the Common room. When she was almost there she heard Fred behind her.

"You little cheat!" he yelled as he ran after her."

Roman screamed the password to the fat lady and jumped into the hole and ran for her dormitory. She made it up 3 the last stair but ended up falling and sliding down the staircase to Fred's feet. "That's cheating!" Roman yelled.

"Oh, hush up and eat one." He told her. They wrestled on the ground until she got free and ran to the opposite of the com room.

For a while they ran around the couch yelling and screaming at each other. Fred finally got tired of it and jumped over the couch and caught her. He pinned her down to the ground as she screamed and fought to get away from him. When he tried to push a worm into her mouth she tightly closed it and screamed from behind her closed mouth.

"Eat it!"

"No!" she screamed as she moved her head to the side.

He finally pushed a worm into her mouth and covered her mouth with his hand and pinched her nose, "Chew and swallow!" he yelled.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Celes asked just as Professor McGonagall stormed into the common room.

"Weasley, McTaggert, what is going on!" Professor McGonagall yelled over the commotion.

Fred jumped off of Roman and Roman took in a deep breath and coughed, "YOU Demon child!" she yelled as she jumped on Fred and bit his shoulder.

"Owe, Roman, you aren't supposed to eat me, you are supposed to eat the worm."

Professor McGonagall separated the two of them with a swish of her wand. "McTaggert, Weasley, stop your fighting this instant, or do I need to give you both detention?"

"She started it!"

"He started it!"

Fred and Roman said in unison.

"You bit me!" Fed complained.

"You cut off my oxygen!" Roman complained.

"You should have eaten the worm."

"You shouldn't have forced me to eat it."

Professor McGonagall rubbed her head as if she felt a massive headache pounding in her head. "I do not care who started anything. What is going on?"

Fred and Roman quickly went into an explanation at the same time as they pointed fingers at each other and ended with.

"You still ate it and I don't hear any objections about the flavor." Fred told her.

"That's beside the point, and you know it!" Roman shot back.

They both looked at each other and fell out laughing.

Professor McGonagall looked at them as if they lost their minds then looked at Celes.

Celes shrugged her shoulders, "I usually put them on restriction when they get like this."

"That is a good idea, "Miss McTaggert, you will stay away from the Weasley twins for the remainder of the holiday."

"That's not fair!" Fred and Roman said in unison. "We didn't do anything wrong!"

"You are lucky I am not giving you detention."

"But no rules were broken." They said again in unison.

"That is why you are being separated from each other for the remainder of the holiday. All the screaming has given me a headache."

"Thanks a lot Roman." Fred grouched.

"I don't know why you are upset. You were the one that started it." She grouched back.

Professor McGonagall groaned, "I do not care who started the whole thing, just please for the love of Merlin, do not scream anymore." With that said she turned on her hills and walked out the common room.

"Have you all been running wild the whole time I was gone?" Celes asked.

Roman whirled around on Celes indignantly and then paused. She blinked when she saw Celes for the first time. "Celes, what are you doing here?" she asked. "I thought you went home for the Christmas."

"I did, and I just got back about an hour and a half ago."

"Really?" Roman cocked her head to the side and studied Celes carefully. There was something wrong and Celes didn't want to show it. Roman smiled, and took Celes by the hand. "Fred, you are on your own for a while. I am going to hang with Celes for a while."

"But…"

"Wait." Roman ran over to Fred grabbed a worm and then kicked Fred in the shin.

"What was that for?" he moaned as he hopped up and down on one foot.

"For being a jerk!" with that said she grabbed Celes's hand and left the common room. Roman dragged Celes to one of their favorite rooms in the astronomy tower. Roman laid down and Celes laid next to her.

"What was all that about?" Celes asked.

Roman sighed and looked at the wiggling worm in her hand. "Fred was teasing me."

"He was teasing you with Every Flavor Fruit Gummy Worms?"

"Well, I don't like wiggly stuff. And they kind of freak me out. I mean the Chocolate Frogs unnerve me. How do you eat them? They hop around and I don't know what end to bite. It is just so wrong. So when I saw the worms they freaked me out a little."

Celes giggled, "They aren't that bad, they don't have any feelings they are just charmed to move around."

"I know, but it's still unnerving."

"So he chased you into the common room so you could eat one?"

"Yes, the jerk."

"And now that you have eaten one, what do you think?"

"I think he is a jerk for forcing me to eat one and I'm also glad he made me eat one. It was actually really good, but the fact that it wiggled around in my mouth is still gross!"

Celes laughed.

"Oh, sure laugh at my pain." Roman teased as she rolled over onto her side and looked over Celes. She smiled, now that she felt Celes emotion lighten up. "How was your Christmas?" Roman asked.

Celes sighed as she looked up at the ceiling. "It was okay."

"What did you get?"

"I got beautiful quill form Miranda, a card from Blaise, and a necklace from Harry."

"Ooh, what kind of necklace?"

"It was quite beautiful, a silver chain with a emerald green teardrop jewel."

"It sounds pretty."

"What what did you get from snake boy?"

Celes frowned, "Who?"

"Draco, snake boy, you know."

Celes laughed, "I got an old photo from Draco."

"Ha, my gift was better." Roman said triumphantly.

Celes shook her head. "It's not a competition, Roman."

"To me it is. He has known you longer and I just met you. So I have to compete with the "best friend." Besides since he knows you better he should know what you like and what you don't like. I don't even know what you like all that much. But mine was better."

"Well it wasn't any old photo. The photo was of us when we were younger. It was one of the times we were ever having fun."

"Damn it." Roman frowned. As she rolled over onto her back and looked up at the ceiling.

"I did enjoy your spell book though." She smiled. "I even thought about using some of them on Draco." She confessed.

Roman knew they were now headed to what really bothered her. "Really? What did he do to make you want to use my spells?"

Celes was quiet for a while. She scooted closer to Roman and kept her eyes away from her. "I found him during the Silver and Green Ball in the library with Pansy Parkinson."

Roman stayed quiet as she thought about everything. "What were they doing in the library? I kind of find it hard to believe that Draco would be in a library reading. He don't seem like the reading type."

Celes's stomach fell again. She wanted to believe that they were only reading and not doing anything else. Besides, they were too young. Would could they be doing alone. What about Blaise? He was with one of Pansy's friends. "I don't know." She whispered.

Roman rolled over onto her side and wrapped Celes in one arm. "It's okay, Celes."

"I-I don't know." Celes said again. "I really don't know." When Roman whipped at her eye she found that she was crying again. "I'm sorry, I…"

"It's okay, Celes. It's okay to feel betrayed and hurt."

Celes cried harder as she turned into Roman.

"Let it out," she whispered. "Let it all out." Roman rubbed her back as she continued to cry. She really wanted to ring Draco's neck for hurting Celes but she knew it wasn't her place to approach Draco, especially since the issue was between Celes and Draco and it seemed to be more of an issue of the heart then of friendship. She could feel it. It wasn't just another fight, it was something deeper and Celes was confused by it.

Roman sighed as she saw the whole scene unfold in front of her eyes. It was on the tip of her tongue to tell Celes that Pansy fit Draco's ugliness. It wasn't that they were ugly on the outside it was just there insides were ugly and they fit perfectly together. If there was anything that confused Roman the most it was how someone like Celes turned out better than them. It was as if she was a… Roman smiled as the thought hit her. A Rose among thorns.

When Celes finally quieted down Roman looked over her. "Did you get it all out? You know, if you keep it inside, it will poison you and you will become mean and surly like me. And we can't have that. The world can only handle one of me."

Celes gave a little laugh, "You aren't that bad."

"Oh yes I am. I am mean, surly, and selfish."

She laughed again, "You are right."

Roman gasped, "Again you laugh at my pain. You aren't supposed to agree with me. You are supposed to say, 'Roman, you are my best of friends. You are not mean, surly, and selfish. People just don't understand you. You are just soft and gooey inside just like your gummy worm'." Roman said in a falsetto voice.

Celes laughed again, "You are so silly."

"That is beside the point. The point is you are supposed to tell me those things. That is what friends are for."

She sighed as she looked at Roman, "Well, you are half right. If you allow people to get close to you, you are soft and gooey inside like your gummy worm, but you are selfish too."

Roman's mouth dropped open, "Again, I don't think you understand this whole friendship thing. I'm not gooey and soft on the inside and I'm not selfish… well maybe I am selfish. But that is beside the point."

She laughed, "You are so wishy-washy too. You don't know what you want."

Roman laughed, "You have wounded me." She told her.

Celes calmed down and rest her head on Roman's arm. Being close to Roman made her feel better, just like she knew it would. She was smiling and laughing without a thought of Draco. She looked over at Roman and poked her side.

Roman jumped and glared at her, "Now what?"

"What did you get for Christmas?"

"I got a purple sweater with a gold letter 'R' on it. Apparently, Fred and George have been writing their mother about me and she made me a sweater. It's really cute. I like it. Fred and George gave me a book of their failed spells they have tried and so I could find a way to fix them and make them my own. Hermione gave me a new set of quills, and Harry and Ron gave me my own chess game so I could challenge them anytime. Oh and of course I got your book on ailments and medicines that I could use." Roman smiled as she remembered unwrapping the book. It was so like Celes to give her something to help her with her problem, even though she didn't know what her true problem was. Celes always wanted to help in some way or another.

"That sounds nice." Celes told her. She then made a list of people in her head. "What about Lee? Didn't he give you anything?"

Roman coughed and cleared her throat. "Yeah, he got me something." She told her.

"Well, what was it?"

"Uh, he got me a gold bracelet with purple butterflies on it."

Celes smiled, "Really? What did you get him?"

"Uh, I gave him a handmade bone choker."

"A what?"

"It's a Native American necklace for men. We usually make them out of bones. I also made one for Fred and George."

"That sounds really nice."

"Yeah," Roman told her. "Don't think I haven't got anything planned for your birthday, I know exactly what I am going to give you. I just need to figure out how I'm going to make it work first."

Celes giggled, "You are so silly. You are the only one that competes against friends."

"I don't care. I'm just saying. Besides good competition against friends is good, we all need it sometimes."

Celes sat up and smiled, "Really?"

"Really."

"In that case, eat the gummy worm." She told her.

Roman groaned, "I don't want to eat it. It's gross when it wiggles around in your mouth!"

"Roman, please eat the gummy worm. It won't hurt you, I promise." Celes handed her the wiggling worm.

"But Celes…"

"Eat it and you can eat whatever and anything you want for dessert."

Roman frowned. Usually between Celes and Lee, her diet was restricted. For some odd reason they took it upon themselves to make sure she didn't spoil her dinner, ate plenty of veggies, and less sugar at night. Of course Celes had learned the hard way on Roman's sugar intake. One night she had gorged on sweets and Celes paid for it by having Roman jumping around all night until she crashed. The next day it was harder to wake her up than normal and she was grouch all day.

When Celes was becoming strict on her diet she would sit next to Lee and the twins. It was only the third time she was sitting next to them that Lee noticed Roman wasn't eating enough veggie and took it upon himself to make sure she ate plenty of veggies. Of course where Lee was strict Fred was more lacks. He had argued with Lee about the whole thing. Saying if she didn't want to eat her veggies she didn't have to. Lee argued with him until George said that Lee was right. Fred was upset with George and wouldn't talk to him for a week. It was one of the most uncomfortable week they all endured. But to keep the peace Roman did as Lee told her and ate most of her veggies. They had soon found out that she hated the taste of peas and lima beans.

Lee had to bribe her every time they had peas or lima beans. He told her that if she ate every last one of them he would give her something really special for Christmas. So Roman gritted her teeth and bared it. True to his word Lee had gotten her the bracelet.

Roman was surprised by the gift. She didn't expect anything that fancy. Of course Lee had showed her a secret to the bracelet. He showed her if she blew on it the butterflies would flutter their wings and gave little kisses on her wrist. Out of all the gifts she got for Christmas, the bracelet was her most favorite and treasured.

"Earth to Roman, come in Roman." Celes said as she snapped her fingers in front of her face.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" Roman asked as she cleared her throat.

"I was saying you don't have to eat it if you don't want to, but it will be good to face the challenge on your own accord. You shouldn't let people force you to face them if you are not ready."

Roman smiled, "Thanks Celes." She took the worm and looked at it. "Ooh, look, the juicy green filled kind, my favorite." She told her with a grimace. She quickly put it in her mouth and chewed on it, "Oh, this is disgusting!" she told Celes when she swallowed it.

"What flavor was it?"

"Green Tomato," she answered. "Who said tomatoes were a fruit?"

Celes laughed, "Well, it did say _ever_ flavored fruit."

"Let's, go. I starving and I need something sweet to wash that out."

The holidays came and gone and it was back to school for everyone. The snow thickened and melted. It grew colder and warmer and then colder. Everyone talked about what they got for Christmas and shared last of their sweets with each other. January had come and gone and it was now February. The older girls talked about Valentine's Day and spending time with their boyfriends and sharing love advice with each other.

It drove Roman crazy with all the giggling girls. But it was sure entertaining to hear the boys give love advice to other guys and seeing them muster up the courage to ask another girl out. It was the most entertaining thing at school, but soon Valentine's was over and it was back to school for them.

Roman sat alone on a staircase reading through a book. It was her last day on restriction from the boys. Celes and found them trying to wake Roman up from a deep spell enchanted sleep. After a few hours of trying to wake her up, she finally wakened up on her own. They had tried to tell Celes that it was one of Roman's spells she was working on but she didn't want to hear none of it and put them on restriction from each other for a week.

Roman sighed as she looked over her page. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She had been feeling depressed since she had awaken that morning and didn't want to be around anyone. Since it was a weekend she didn't have anything to do. So she grabbed a book and went to a staircase most students didn't climbed and read. But it wasn't working. She closed her book and stared off into the distance.

Professor Snape turned the corner just then and glared down at her, "What are you doing here, Miss McTaggert?" he asked her coldly.

Roman looked up at him with unshed tears, "Nothing," she answered.

Snape's frowned deepened; He wasn't use to seeing Roman with tears in her eyes. She always had some silly smile on her face when she saw him. It kind of made him uneasy to see her like the way she was. "Shouldn't you be with the other Gryffindors or hanging around Miss Diggory?"

"I suppose." She told him blankly as she looked off in the distance.

He frowned and continued to climb the stairs.

Celes came running down the hall and bumped into Snape. "Oh, sorry, Un… I mean Professor." She told him. "Have you seen, Roman?" she asked a little breathlessly.

"At the bottom of the stairs," he paused and he held blocked Celes's way, "I don't think she is feeling too well." He whispered.

Celes frowned as she looked towards the stairs, "What do you mean she isn't feeling too well?"

"She isn't her usual self."

"I think I may know what it is," she whispered back. "Thank you, uncle." She took off running to the stairs and climbed down them. "Roman,"

Roman quickly whipped her eyes and looked up at Celes, "Oh, hey." She greeted with a false cheer. "What's up?"

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing, something just got into my eyes."

"Come with me, I want to show you something." Celes told her.

"No, it's okay, I think I'm going to stay here for a while."

"Oh, come on Roman. It will be fun. I promise." Celes pulled Roman to her feet and pulled her up the stairs.

After climbing some more stairs and going down some halls they finally got to a room. "Celes, I really don't feel like doing anything."

"Just go inside, this will cheer you, up. I promise." Celes pushed her into the room and blocked her way out.

"SURPRISED!"

Fred, George, and Lee yelled. Roman was stunned as she looked around the room. It was decorated with streamers and balloons. A huge banner in the middle of the room read 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!'. It was then that Roman figured out why she was so depressed. Tears rolled down her eyes as she looked at everything. She knew she should have been happy and excited but she felt even more depressed. More than anything she wanted to leave the room.

Everyone frowned as she sat down and wept. Celes wrapped her arms around her shoulders, "Roman, what is wrong?" she asked.

"I'm sorry." She told her. She looked at all the guys, "I'm really sorry." She told them as she ran out the room.

"Roman!" Lee called out as he chased after her along with everyone else. He caught her and wrapped his arms around her, "What is wrong, butterfly." He asked.

"I hate him. I really hate him." She sobbed.

He sat down on the nearest stair with her on his lap. Fred, George, and Celes gathered around her. "Who?"

"I hate my father. I hate him. I really do." She sniffed and whipped at her eyes. "I hate him and I know hates me but I always wish that he will remember me, at least once a year. I hate that I want something from him. I hate that I want him to love me. I hate that I want him to see me for me. I hate it all."

Celes frowned as she looked over her friend huddled against Lee. She whipped a tear from her eye as she placed a hand on Roman's knee. "Its okay, Roman, most people want some kind of approval or recognition from their parents. It's natural."

"I hate feeling it. I don't want it anymore. Why did he have to live and not my mother?" she sobbed

"Oh, Roman," Celes rubbed Roman's knee, "I know perfectly well, how you feel." She stood up and took Roman by the hand. "Come on, let's go back to your party, we will have lots of fun and if you still don't feel like being there we can go back to our dormitory."

Roman nodded and accepted the comfort that Celes was trying to give. They all went back to the room and had music played, cut the cake, ate little finger foods, and presented Roman with gifts. Near the end of the party Roman was starting to feel a little better. She was even better enough to tease Lee and try to have a third piece of cake. Of course Lee had put a stop to her. Of course Fred had sneaked her another piece and then winked at her. Even though it was a false high of happiness due to the cake and candy she had eaten, Roman was feeling pretty good about herself.

At the end of the party Roman and Celes decided to use the bath set she had received and departed from the boys and let them deal with the clean up. When the door was safely closed behind them Fred turned and glared at Lee.

"What?"

"You need to stop being so strict with her." Fred hissed at Lee.

"You need to stop spoiling her."

"Someone needs too, obviously."

"If you keep spoiling her like you are doing she will only walk all over you. It is already bad enough she has her way with just about everything."

"I think…"

"Shut it George." Fred snapped at his twin. "You are not her father and you need to keep it that way."

"Oh, because it's okay to chase her down and force her to eat something she doesn't want to eat. That is very friendly." Lee told him sarcastically.

Fred turned nearly the same shade of red as his hair. "At least I don't bribe her with jewelry." He spat out.

Lee sputtered for a moment then glared back at Fred.

"You know…"

"Can it, George." Lee hissed. "It's not bribery. It was a gift to show my appreciation. Besides it was better than the gift you gave her."

"Oh, really? Out of the whole time we have known her haven't you realized she needs something to keep her mind occupied?"

"You are crippling her! She needs to face her issues not avoid them."

"I think both of you are right and wrong." Celes piped up.

Lee and Fred turned in surprised to see Celes leaning on the door, "Don't worry, she isn't here. I just came back because she forgot her book." She walked over and picked up Roman's book. "She needs friends and a firm hand. You can't force her to face her issues but you can help her to get there, but at the same time you can't blindfold her to her issues. It isn't fair to her she will never become stronger that way." She turned to leave but then paused again. "She needs all of us. We all contribute to everything she needs. If you guys don't figure that out now, then you are only going to hurt her in the long run." With that said Celes left the room.

Roman laid in bed staring out of the window to the night sky. It was nice that her friends threw her a birthday party. She did enjoy it. She just wished she was in more of a party mood, but it really hurt that her father didn't even acknowledged her birthday. Of course she would never tell her friends that she also had sent her father a birthday gift and a Christmas gift every year. "Why do I even try." She whispered to herself as she rolled over onto her side.

"Roman," Celes whispered as she crawled into Roman's bed. "Are you still awake?"

"Yes." Roman whispered back as she turned to face Celes. "I thought you were already asleep."

"No," she snuggled close to room and smiled. "You know Roman, I know exactly how you feel."

Roman looked away, "I try to be strong, but I seemed to always give in to my emotions and start a fight with him. I think its because its the only time he will pay attention to me."

Celes gave a sad smiled as she sat up on the bed looking down on Roman, "Ro, that is why I fight with my mum. Its the only time she pays attention to me... well that and when she is plotting my impending marriage to Draco," she said softly.

Roman wrinkled her nose. Then it all made sense! She was hurt with Draco because she was already halfway in love with him. Than the sight with him with another girl hurt her. She rolled over and smiled at Celes. "I think Draco isn't the one for you. Not because I don't like him. It's just that sometimes when you are isolated you think he is the only one for you because he seems to know you so well. But until you get out of your isolation you will see there is someone else for you that understands you way better." She smiled. "Then again, I really wouldn't know because I was always isolated. My father always left me alone. It was rare that I would even see him. It is one of the reasons why I came here. Instead of letting him have the ease of thought that I was at my home school I moved halfway across the world so he would have to think of me. I don't think it worked well. He seems to still have forgotten me."

Celes sighed and shook her head, her golden braid she wore to sleep swinging back and fourth. "I don't think he's forgotten you Roman, I think he always knows he has you. And maybe he's ashamed by the way he's been with you and it took you coming here for him to realize it."

"Yeah, well actions speak louder than words and so far his actions speak loud and clear that he does not care." Roman rolled over and looked up at Celes. "Promise that we won't ignore each other... well not for long. We will always keep in touch and remember at least each other's birthdays."

"Good and I'll always remember your birthday." Roman smiled and then wrinkled her nose. "However, I'll never get old and wrinkly. I'll have to invent some kind of spell that will keep me young and beautiful." She giggled and pulled Celes down with her. "Then I will have to tested on you. We'll call it the miracle cream of life."

"What are you Nicholas Flamel?" Celes asked feeling very tired. She laid her head down next to Romans on the pillow and closed her eyes.

With a yawn Roman snuggled closer, "No, Nicholas has a stone. I'll just have..." she drifted off to sleep.

As the weeks went by it got warmer out and Celes pretty much just hung out with Roman and went to classes. She avoided Draco when she saw him in the corridors and the Great Hall. She wouldn't even turn when he called her name. Her uncle had already sat down with her three times since Roman's birthday and every time she told him she didn't want to spend time with him. She had spent her entire childhood with him it was time to spend time with her new friends.

Celes stepped out of History of Magic and sighed, finals were a week off and she was not looking forward to them at all! She started down the corridor towards the Great Hall. Then he was there right next to her,Draco. Before she could call out the Roman who was up ahead bugging Ron and Harry he grabbed her arm and wrestled her into an empty classroom.

"Why are you ignoring me? You haven't talked to me since we came back from Christmas Holiday! You didn't even come home for Easter!" he said he was planted in front of the door.

"Draco I will jinx you to get out of here." She said avoiding his question.

"No you won't Cel, you can't and you know it." He said.

That made Celes mad. "I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT TO YOU WITH NO PROBLEMS, DRACO LUCIUS MALFOY!" she shrieked.

"I must have done something really terrible." He said crossing his arms across his chest.

"Fine." She snapped pacing away from him. "you were in the library at Christmas with Parkinson!" To make her even more angry she was starting to cry.

"Celes we weren't doing anything. I was just talking to her." He said shrugging.

"Just talking. Youre suppose to … you know." She said finding it hard to talk to him.

"I know that we are suppose to be betrothed or whatever,what does that have to do with….Oh," he smirked. "You were jealous."

Celes scowled at him and began to pull out her wand,but they both her voice heading straight for them. Draco grabbed her hand and dragged her into the wardrobe in the classroom.

Then in came Rose and Prof. Quirrell. Celes nearly gasped but Draco covered her mouth to shoosh her.

"You aren't strong enough yet." Rose said urgently to him.

"I'm fine." Said Quirrell's turban.

Celes looked at Draco in question and he just shook his head. Suddenly he sounded angry and before Celes could blink he had raised his wand. In a flash of green her mother was dead. Celes felt the tears fall down her cheeks and struggled against Draco who was holding her against him.

"Do away with the body." The turban hissed and Quirrellobliged. When he was gone with her mother in tow Celes burst out of the wardrobe breathing heavily and grabbing at her chest.

"We have to tell Dumbledore." Celes said loudly heading to the door.

"Celes no." Draco said and she looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"I'm telling my Uncle." She said before he could stop her she was gone. Five minutes later she burst through the doors of her uncle's office Draco on her heels.

"Uncle Sev!"

"Celes," he was up and by her side in seconds. "Whats wrong,what happened?"

"Quirrell, Unforgivable Curse…Mum dead." She said still hyperventilating. Before she could say anymore she passed out.

Roman sat just outside the great hall on the steps. She was trying to warm herself as much as possible in the sun. There was a strange coldness that had crept into her bones. It had been since the end of History of Magic that she seemed to gain a chill that didn't want to leave her. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms to warm them but it wasn't working.

"Hey, Ro." Lee greeted as he sat down on the step next to her. "Nice day isn't it."

"Huh, oh, yeah." She answered back a little distracted. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, uh, nothing."

"Do you have a cold? You are shivering." He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his side.

"I think, something is wrong." Roman whispered as she looked up at him.

Lee's frowned deepened and he tilted her chin up further and looked into her eyes, "Your eye color is changing. They are usually a honey color but they are darkening."

She blinked her eyes a couple of times and looked away. Something very wrong was going on and it was affecting her. "Some friend you are, McTaggert." Malfoy's sneered.

"Celes is lying in the hospital wing and here you are hugged up with some boy."

Roman shot to her feet and grabbed Draco by the front of his robe, "What did you say?" She growled.

"You heard me." He sneered. "I would have still been there if it weren't for Madam..." Draco trailed off as Roman took off running.

She busted through the door of the hospital wing in a state of panic. "Celes!" She called as she ran towards the bed. "What has happened?" She demanded when Madam Pomfrey tried to drag her away and quiet her down. "No! Tell me what has happened!"

"Miss McTaggert, this is a hospital wing, you cannot barge in her like a banshee." Madam Pomfrey scolded. She finally took a firm grip of Roman and shook her. "Miss Diggory is sleeping. Calm yourself, child."

Roman took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She was only sleeping. "May, I see her?"

"Not now, she needs her rest. Besides I don't need you here disturbing my other patients."

"I promise, I'll be seated quietly. I'll even read a book so I won't get bored, please, please, please let me sit next to her." Tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She didn't know why she was so upset over Celes being in the hospital wing but she knew she had to stay with Celes.

"Poppy, its okay." Professor Dumbledore, told her.

"Professor!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed.

"Poppy, its quite alright."

Roman ran towards Cele's bedside and looked over her. It was her. It was her emotion she was feeling so strongly. She had felt it sometime after class and it wrapped around her. She whipped her tears, which were now flowing freely. She took a deep breath and raised a shaking hand to Cele's. The moment she touched her hand the strongest wave of grief tore through her. It was enough to drop Roman to her knees and she wept. She wept for her friend and her loss. After she felt like she was dried out she climbed into the bed with Celes and held her as tight as she could. She poured as much of her comforting emotion she could into Celes and hummed.

In the darkness of the hallway Celes felt a chill run up her back. She walked slowly down the hallway, she felt like she was floating almost. She came upon a person. They were moaning. She walked forward.

"Are you alright?" she asked touching the figure. When she did they turned and Celes let out a blood curtling scream.

She awoke that way, screaming with Roman shaking her.

"Celes! Celes you're alright!" she exclaimed.

Celes opened her eyes and found herself staring into Roman's face. When she realized that she dissolved into tears clinging to Roman. "She's dead Roman, I watched him murder her!" she cried.

Roman was shocked, she gave a little gasp and pulled Celes back holding her by her shoulders.

"Celes you need to calm down a minute, who was murdered?" she asked.

Celes sniffed and took a few deep breaths. "My Mum. By Quarrel!" she said and Roman looked around to make sure no one heard her say that.

"Your Uncle says that you're traumatized from seeing her die." Roman said.

"No Roman she didn't just die, she was murdered. I saw the curse…the unforgivable one. I saw it happen! And so did Draco." She said and then looked around. "Where is he?"

"He hasn't been here to see you in days. And he told your Uncle that all he saw was your mother grab her chest and fall over." Roman said, she was upset. "He isn't a friend if he won't even tell people what you two saw."

"He's just protecting himself." Celes sneered.

"If you say this happened then it happened!" Roman said softly.

"How long was I out?" Celes asked calming a little. The fact that Roman believed her made her calm instantly.

"About a week." Roman said softly.

"Oh bloody hell! Finals." Celes said getting out of bed all of a sudden all thoughts of her Mum out the window.

"Celes, you just went through a trauma!" Roman said getting up after her.

"Please Roman I have to take these finals. I want to be a second year." She said turning to find her Uncle in the doorway.

"Ms. McTaggert please give me a second with my niece." He said and Roman gave her one last look and left.

Celes looked up at her Uncle fighting the urge to kick him in the shin for not believing her.

"Celes there is something about your mother you should know." He said, and Celes sat back down on the bed and looked at her uncle.

"Your mother was not born into my family you see, she was….adopted." he said sitting down on the bed across from her.

"Yes, I always knew she was. She used to tell me when she was drunk that she had to color her hair to keep her real families color from showing." Celes said, she had known her mother wasn't Severus's blood relative for years.

"She was a Weasley." He said shortly and Celes just stared open mouthed at him. "You see my mother was ashamed after she realized that she had turned her back on her family. So to make up for it she kidnapped Rose from the Weasleys colored her hair and told her family that she was pure."

"That's terrible." Celes sneered. "Are you telling me I'm Arthur Weasleys niece?" she asked.

"Yes Celes I am, I've written them a letter explaining your circumstances and they have agreed to become your guardians." He said.

Celes shot up from the bed fresh tears in her eyes. "You are suppose to take me if something happens! You! Why don't you want me?" she yelled.

"You will be safer with the Weasleys they are your family." He said and got up.

"NO UNCLE SEVERUS, PLEASE!" she yelled after him in tears. And he was gone and from that day on Celes would never look at her uncle the same.

Twenty minutes later she was out the door of the Hospital wing and meeting up with Roman who gave her a worried look. Celes just shook her head. She didn't want to talk about it. She would but not today, they headed to their first final.

It was the week they were all taking the train home. Celes finished packing. She had already been hit up by the twins about her parentage and received a letter from Molly welcoming her. She wrote back saying she would help around the household as much as they needed. They were a big family and were now responsible for her as well. She offered them money, upon her mother's death she was left a large sum of money, but they had politely declined. She of course would still help where she could.

With a large sigh Celes packed the white and scarlett Pau that Roman had lent her a while back then told her to keep at least for the holiday. She looked up when Hermione came in.

"Ron, Fred, George, and Percy are waiting to walk with you to the train." She said with a smile.

Did everyone know? Why weren't they all still gabbing about Harry still, hello he almost died. But she was the next big news story. Harry almost dies but her family drama is funner for her.

She joined the Weasleys at the bottom of the steps. They were all grinning at her.

"Mums got the study all set up for you." Ron said smiling a little.

"Yeah she wrote and said so. Its nice they are working out my own space but I could have just shared with Ginny." She said shrugging.

"Mum and Dad are thrilled to have another girl in the house!" Fred said.

"Yeah maybe Ginny will break out of her shell then." George followed almost immediately. That would take some getting used to. Celes smiled at them then moped away over to where Roman was waiting.

"I don't know if I can do this." Celes said softly.

"They are good peoples, you'll be fine." Roman said taking her hand. Celes instantly calmed.

"Lets just go to the train okay?" Celes said leading the way out of Gryffindor tower. They made their way to the station and Celes remained quiet. As a matter of fact she pretty much didn't say anything until they stopped in Kings Cross that evening. They all exited the train to find Molly waiting for them. Molly pulled Celes into a hug and for the first time in almost a week she cried. Molly just held her while she did and everyone stood around awkwardly. Harry had already gone.

"It'll all work out dear. You have a family in us." Molly said and for the first time in her life she felt like she could breath. She looked around and saw Draco staring at them. She waved. He smiled for a second and then disappeared into the crowd. The days of Celes Diggory and Draco Malfoy were numbered. Without her mother around she knew that she would never be up to marry Draco now. And she was fine with that idea. She turned back in time to hear Roman ask Molly a question.

"Is it cool if I keep my stuff with you guys over the summer, I don't know where I'll be so it may be better if I do that." She asked.

"Sure dear, I'm sure Celes here will keep a good eye on it." Molly said beamed at Roman kissed her on the cheek. Then Roman turned to Celes.

"You send me a letter if you need me for anything, don't not write obviously but send me an Owl and I'll do what I can to come." Roman said. "You have that owl there use it." She said motioning to Hera, Celes's hawkowl.

"I will Ro-Ro, and I love you. See you next term." She said cheering a bit. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad being apart of the Weasley family.


End file.
